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THE  LIFE  AND  LABORS 


OF 


William  Sheldon 


WRITTEN   AND  COMPILED  BY  HIS   DAUGHTER, 

LUCY  SHELDON. 


"Ecce,  venio  cito;  et  vierces  mea  mecum  est. 


Western  Advent  Christian  Publication  Association, 

Mendota,  Illinois. 

1902 


copteighted  1902,  bt 

The  Westeen  Advent  Cheistian 

Publication  Association. 


3  ^  rOMyU-'^^^^'. 


PREFACE. 

It  may  be  thought  that  the  author  of  this  narrative 
has  great  respect  for  her  father.  She  must  own  that 
this  is  the  case.  And  being  aware  of  it  she  has  tried 
to  be  neutral,  as  it  were,  and  to  avoid  immoderate 
praise;  but  may  not  have  entirely  succeeded  in  con- 
cealing her  feelings.  For  this  she  humbly  begs  par- 
don in  advance,  and  asks  that  a  reasonable  allowance 
be  made  for  the  fact  that  William  Sheldon  was  her 
beloved  father. 

And  blessed  are  the  children  who  have  a  father  in 
whom  they  can  confide,  and  truly  love  and    respect! 

The  wTiter  fondly  remembers  many  quiet,  confi- 
dential talks  between  father  and  daughter,  in  which 
the  two  were  brought  into  heart  touch  with  each 
other,  and  a  mutual  understanding  established,  to  a 
more  than  common  degree,  if  we  mistake  not.  These 
are  now  as  greatly  missed  as  their  memory  is  cher- 
ished. Yes,  blessed  are  we  in  having  had  such  a 
father. 

But  as  a  historian  we  have  tried  to  keep  to  facts, 
without  exaggeration  or  embellishment.  This  style — 
of  direct  plainness — would  have  been  most  pleasing  to 
the  deceased.  The  writer  has  also  endeavored  to 
avoid  invidious  comparisons.  She  hopes  that  the 
narrative  may  be  found  sufficiently  "brief  and  to  the 
point." 

We  are  indebted  first  of  all  to  our  mother  for  much 
3 


4  PREFACE. 

of  the  material  in  this  volume;  to  our  uncle,  D.  D. 
Sheldon;  to  the  World's  Crisis;  Our  Hope;  Messiah's 
Advocate;  Dr.  H.  F.  Carpenter;  Bro.  J.  E.  Derham; 
besides  others  mentioned  in  the  work;  but  especially 
are  we  indebted  to  Eld.  A.  Armour  for  assistance  in 
its  preparation;  and  still  later  to  the  Committee 
who  revised  the  manuscript. 

We  here  add,  after  the  book  is  in  type,  that  some 
selected  matter  on  subjects  mentioned  elsewhere,  must 
be  excluded  for  want  of  space.  This  will  account 
for  its  non-appearance  in  this  work,  although  it  is 
prepared. 

The  motive  prompting  us  to  attempt  this  '  work, 
at  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  W.  A. 
C.  P.  Association,  was  that  it  might  be  of  service  to 
the  Advent  cause;  and  though  prepared  under  very 
unfavorable  conditions,  we  hope  and  trust  and  pray 
that  God  may  use  it,  and  bless  it.  We  now  leave 
it  with  the  Lord  and  you;  and  trust  the  results  with 
Him  who  can  rule  and  over-rule  all  to  his  glory. 

L.  S. 
Brodhead,  Wis.,  September,  1902. 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Preface 3 

Poetry,  "A  Model  Preacher" 7 

Introductory,— "Life  and  Work" 11 

CHAPTER. 

I.  Birth  and  Childhood 13 

II.  The  Coming  of  the  "Message"     .      .  16 

III.  Getting  the  News,  and  a  Bible     .      .  21 

IV.  The  Young  Man's  Education     ...  25 
V.  Called    to    Carry    the    Flying    Angel's 

Message 30 

VI.  Early  Work,  and  Opposition     ...  35 

VII.  A  Larger  Field 41 

VIII.  Marriage.     Removal  West     ....  47 
IX.  Western    Pioneering    in    the    Advent 

Cause 51 

X.  Western    Pioneering    in    the    Advent 

Cause,  continued 58 

XL  Lengthening  the  Cords       ....  65 

XII.  A    Fighting    Record 70 

XIII.  Branching  Out    .......  78 

XIV.  Faithful  to  the   Mission,   Amid  Trial.  84 
XV.  Evangelistic  Work 90 

XVI.  Tent  and  Chart  Work 98 

XVII.  A  Tent-meeting  Experience     .      .      .  107 

XVIII.  Answered   Prayers 110 

XIX.  Failing  Health 118 

XX.  Studying    and    Writing       .      .      .      .123 
5 


6  CONTENTS. 

XXI.  Editorial  Work 136 

XXII.  Family  Afflictions 142 

XXIII.  Notes  of  his  First  Southern  Tour     .      148 

XXIV.  Notes  of  his  Second  Southern  Tour     .    159 
XXV.  A  Glimpse  into  his  Diary     ....      167 

XXVI.  Mention   of   Other  Trips     .      .      .      .174 

XXVII.  His  Last  Efforts 186 

XXVIII.  Closing   Hours 212 

XXIX.  Funeral  Services 219 

XXX.  Words   of   Sympathy 229 

XXXI.  An    Unpublished    Manuscript       .      .  235 

XXXII.  Christ 249 

XXXIII.  Prophetic— The  Reason  Why   ...  265 

XXXIV.  On  AdventLsm       289 

XXXV.  Condensed  Chronology 298 

XXXVI.  Closing  Words       302 


A   MODEL   PREACHER. 

Is  this  not  he? — The  one  who  bears 
The  impress  of  the  Christ-life?— dares 
Be  like  his  Lord.     The  one  who  walks 
In  Jesus'  ^teps.     The  one  who  talks, 
And  also  acts,  to  aid  Christ's  cause, 
And  to  maintain  his  sacred  laws. 
Who  doth  the  life  divine  reflect, 
By  righteousness  always  bedecked. 
Safe  pattern  for  his  trusting  flock, 
Because  he's  founded  on  the  Rock, 
And  build's  as  bidden  by  the  Word 
Of  his  ador-ed  Christ  and  Lord. 
Ah,  surely  that's  the  model  true; 
The  samples,  though,  are  very  few. 

But  one  I've  kno\\'n. 

Who  thus  has  sho-mi 
Himself,  by  God's  owti  pattern  formed; 
The  Christian  name  his  life  adorned. 
Such  William  Sheldon  long  did  prove; 
He  Jesus  and  His  truth  did  love. 
And  held  each  word  as  true  as  He 
WTio  spake  it; — sacred  e'er  to  be. 

First,  making  careful  search  for  truth 
With  all  the  energy  of  youth. 
He  studied  deep  as  years  rolled  by, 
And,  living  by  ideal  high. 
Exemplified  by  life  and  word. 
The  teachings  of  his  holy  Lord, 
And  gave  his  heart,  his  life,  his  aU, 
To  sounding  forth  Christ's  mercy-call; 
And,  though  of  most  retiring  mien, 
E'en  bashful,  modest,  as  e'er  seen, 
Yet,  for  his  Lord,  was  Peter-bold, 
And  all  God's  counsel  plainly  told, 
As,  wth  a  heaven-begotten  zeal — 
Received  while  he  for  grace  did  kneel — 
He,  firm  as  Daniel,  stood  for  right, 
And  wrought,  and  preached,  with  holy  might. 
7 


A   MODEL  PREACHER. 

Thus,  valiant  ever,  in  the  van, 
Despite  opposing  fiend  or  man, 
Uncompromising,  against  sin 
Led  on,  God's  righteous  cause  to  win. 

No  worldly  gain  allured  his  mind, 
Nor  danger  made  him  lag  behind ; 
Prospective  honors,  power,  or  cash, 
Behind  him  he  would  promptly  dash, 
When  placed  as  magnets  in  his  sight 
To  lure  him  from  the  course  of  right, 
Or  lead  him  to  forsake  his  post, 
For  one  of  ease;  or,  with  the  host. 

No ;  he  was  not  for  sale :  not  he ! 
But  faithful  servant  he  would  be, 
Whate'er  the  cost.     Whate'er  the  gain; 
He  still  refused  Avith  much  disdain. 
The  least  detraction  from  God's  right; 
Or,  that  displeasing  in  His  sight. 
Nor  would  he  sell  the  truth;  nor  sell 
His  Lord;  nor  'gainst  His  will  rebel. 
Nor  yet  against  the  chastening  rod : 
Submissive  ever  to  his  God. 

Though  persecutions  he  did  share, 
Braved  dangers,  hardships,  knew  great  care, 
He  gladly  spent  his  time,  his  powers, 
(Of  which  he  had  most  princely  dowers,) 
Nor  compensation  sought  below. 
Believing  God  would  still  bestow 
The  measure  of  his  need  each  day, 
He  wrought  for  Him, — secure  his  pay. 
Without  reserve,  life's  years  he  gave. 
With  joy  and  trust  great  ills  did  brave, 
In  candid  fervor  to  proclaim 
God's  truths,  and  power,  and  Jesus'  name. 

Now  rests  he,  on  untarnished  shield, 

A  soldier  never  known  to  yield 

To  foe.     He  "kept  the  faith;"  he  "fought 

Good  fight ; "  "  laid  up  "  the  "  crown  "  he  sought. 

He  rests  a  while,  his  labors  o'er, 

While  rich  reward  God  holds  in  store. 

Soon  He  will  call  him  forth  from  earth. 

To  an  immortal,  glory-birth! 

Ah!  then  the  model,  made  complete, 

Shall  triumph  over  all  defeat. 

And  in  the  perfect  image  shine, 

Of  his  ador-ed  Christ,  divine. 


A    MODEL   PREACHER. 

Then  loud  and  long  God's  praise  shall  ring 
While  he  the  victor's  song  shall  sing, 
And  high  the  victor's  palm  shall  wave 
O'er  vanquished  death,  and  empty  gravel 

THE    SEQUEL. 

So  far  as  he  God's  mould  well  fills, 
And  life  of  Christ  through  his  distills, 
Thus  far  take  note,  and  follow  him  ; 
Nor  let  your  light  for  truth  grow  dim. 

Jennie  Sheldon  Bowden. 
Brodhead,  Wis. 


LIFE  AND  WORK 

OF 

ELDER  WILLIAM  SHELDON. 


"Know  ye  not  that  there  is  a  prince  and  a  great  man  fallen 
this  day  in  Israel?  " 

At  Brodhead,  Wisconsin,  on  February  11th,  1902, 
a  man  of  God  closed  his  earthly  career.  Three  days 
after,  he  was  laid  away  to  rest  until  the  resurrection 
morning,  when  he  will  arise  clad  with  immortality. 

His  had  been  a  life  of  usefulness,  and  of  considerable 
prominence,  among  his  chosen  people  and  others,  and 
an  account  of  his  life  and  labors  has  been  deemed  ad- 
visable by  some;  though  no  person  living  can  ever 
furnish  a  full  account,  or  begin  to  do  justice  to  the 
subject  of  this  memoir. 

He  was,  to  use  the  words  of  our  late  and  beloved 
brother,  E.  A.  Stockman,  and  of  brother  H.  E.  Thomp- 
son, "A  Denominational  Man."  From  boyhood  his 
life  was  connected  with  the  people  known  as  Advent- 
ists,  among  whom  he  was  a  representative  man  in  a 
broader  sense  than  could  be  said  of  many;  a  leader, 
thinker,  instructor,  and  an  exemplar.  Such  was 
William  Sheldon,  the  subject  of  this  memoir. 

And  we  have  buried  him  beneath  the  snow; 
But  when  the  spring  appears  and  flowerets  blow, 
Some  shall  be  planted  o'er  his  grave, 
Foretokening 
That  in  after  years,  when  Christ  shall  con>e  in  power, 
What  we  have  sown  in  dust,  an  earthly  seed, 
Shall  rise  a  heavenly  flower. 

— Jas.  a.  Libbey. 
11 


CHAPTER   I. 

BIRTH   AND    CHILDHOOD, 


The  Sheldons  were  of  English  Puritan  descent. 
Three  brothers  came  to  America  between  two  hundred 
and  three  hundred  years  ago.  Wm.  Sheldon's  grand- 
father, Thaddeus  Sheldon,  was  a  captain  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  and  fought  in  the  battle  of  Plattsburg, 
where  Captain  William  Miller,  of  Advent  fame,  also 
was. 

William  Sheldon  was  the  third  of  the  seven  children 
born  to  Hiram  and  Villars  Sheldon,  only  three  of 
whom  lived  to  maturity.  He  was  born  November 
15th,  1830,  in  the  little  inland  town  of  Stockbridge, 
Vermont;  that  state  noted  for  its  sturdy  sons.  Dillon 
and  Increase,  his  younger  brothers,  lived  to  see  man- 
hood. 

When  William  was  still  quite  young  his  parents 
moved  from  Vermont  over  into  the  state  of  New  York, 
making  their  home  for  a  time  on  a  farm  in  Hampton, 
on  the  Poultney  river,  and  but  six  miles  from  the  home 
of  William  Miller,  of  sacred  memory  to  every  loyal 
Adventist;  the  man  who  so  greatly  moved  the  whole 
country  with  the  proclamation:  "Behold,  the  Bride- 
groom Cometh!"  Was  there  an  over-ruling  power 
which  determined  that  the  neighbor  boy  should  also 
herald  the  same  proclamation  later? 

13 


14  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

While  a  mere  child  he  began  to  manifest  a  habit  of 
thoughtf Illness,  and  would  sit  on  the  floor  in  such 
perfect  quiet  for  hours  at  a  time,  that  his  mother  really- 
feared  he  was  not  very  bright;  but  when  he  became 
old  enough  to  talk,  she  soon  learned  that  the  child  was 
no  fool.  He  would  speak  of  things  which  showed  that 
in  his  quiet,  thoughtful  moods  he  was  pondering  over 
subjects  too  deep  for  one  of  his  years. 

Among  the  earliest  recollections  of  his  boyhood  was 
the  fulfillment  of  the  event  foretold  in  Matthew  24th 
asoneof  the  "signs, "and  which  caused  such  great  excite- 
ment. This  was  "the  falling  of  the  stars,"  on  November 
13th,  1833;  and  although  just  three  years  old  he 
well  remembered  seeing  it,  and  the  excitement  caused 
by  the  grand,  unusual  display  in  the  heavens.  This 
fact  he  mentioned  but  a  short  time  before  his  death. 

At  the  early  age  of  three  years  William  commenced 
his  school  days.  In  those  days  the  teachers  of  schools 
"boarded  around,"  each  family  in  the  district  keeping 
the  teacher  for  a  specified  time,  which  was  apportioned 
according  to  the  number  of  scholars  attending  from 
the  family.  A  teacher,  possibly  in  order  to  secure  a 
good  boarding  place,  started  William  to  school  at  this 
age,  going  back  and  forth  with  him  for  a  time,  a  dis- 
tance of  over  two  miles. 

At  that  time  the  younger  pupils  had  as  many  hours 
of  school  in  the  day  as  the  older  ones,  and  it  was  no 
wonder  that  they  became  weary  during  the  long  school 
hours.  This  soon  became  the  case  with  our  subject. 
Sliding  down  from  his  seat  on  a  high  bench,  he  would 
run  to  the  large  stove,  in  which  there  was  no  fire,  take 
hold  of  the  top  of  the  large  door,  and  swing  out, 
"riding"  the  stove    door,  and  blacking  hands,  face, 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  15 

and  clothing,  to  the  merriment  of  the  others.  The 
teacher  would  lift  him  back  to  hi,s  place  on  the  high 
bench,  only  to  have  the  scene  repeated  again  and  again. 
It  was  fortunate  for  the  child  that  he  was  so  young 
and  also  a  favorite  with  the  teacher.  In  this  little 
incident  we  see  the  early  development  of  an  element 
in  his  natural  constitution  which  formed  a  strong 
characteristic  of  the  man — activity  and  persistence — 
which  enabled  him  to  accomplish  so  much  and  to 
overcome  many  difficulties. 

His  inclination  for  study  developed  early.  As  he 
grew  tliis  inclination  grew  also,  and  he  woidd  read  and 
study  whatever  he  could  get  hold  of.  The  Bible 
early  became  his  chief  delight,  and  as  often  as  he  could 
he  would  go  to  his  room  to  read  and  study  this  book. 
Parents  would  call,  "William,  do  this,"  or,  "do  that;" 
and  he  would  reply,  "Yes,  in  a  minute;"  but  the 
minute  would  slip  into  many  without  his  realizing  it, 
so  absorbed  was  he  in  his  Testament. 

When  he  was  about  ten  years  of  age  his  parents 
again  moved,  leaving  Washington  county  for  the  wilds 
of  Franklin  county,  in  the  same  state ;  settling  in  what 
is  now  known  as  Chateaugay.  The  journey  was  made 
down  Lake  Champlain  by  boat  as  far  as  Plattsburg, 
thence  through  the  wilderness  to  their  new  home. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    COMING    OF    THE    "MESSAGE. 


When,  in  1842,  William  Sheldon  reached  the  age  of 
twelve  years,  the  country  was  being  greatly  stirred 
by  the  proclamation:  "The  day  of  the  Lord  is  at 
hand:  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?"  This  message  had 
a  mighty  effect  upon  the  people  as  it  was  carried  from 
place  to  place,  from  city  to  city,  and  from  state  to 
state.  The  attention  of  the  people  was  arrested,  and 
many  were  led  to  "search  the  Scriptures  to  see  whether 
these  things  were  so;"  and  being  convinced  of  their 
truthfulness,  were  led  to  set  themselves  right  before 
God  and  man. 

The  message  was  given  to  the  church  and  the  world 
as  the  result  of  prayerful  and  careful  investigation  of 
the  prophecies  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  their  fulfill- 
ment in  history,  as  understood  by  the  leading  protest- 
ant  commentators.  For  it  should  be  understood  that 
William  Miller  originated  no  new  interpretations:  his 
purpose  was  to  test  the  truth  of  the  Bible  by  the  fulfill- 
ment, or  failure,  of  its  predictions;  so  he  accepted  the 
expositions  of  the  old  and  approved  writers,  finding 
them  according  to  facts.  Thus  he  was  convinced  of 
the  truthfulness  of  the  Scriptures. 

But  also  these  fulfilled  and  fulfilling  prophecies  had 
time  measurements  attached  to  them,  which  being 
interpreted  in  the  generally  received  way,  indicated 

16 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  17 

the  end  of  time  about  the  year  1843.  This  was  accord- 
ing to  the  old  commentators;  but  when  they  wrote 
that  date  was  in  the  distant  future,  and  thus  not  of 
interest  to  their  generation.  And  also  they  had  inti- 
mated that  a  great  revolution  would  take  place,  after 
which  prophecy  would  be  clearer;  thus  in  former 
generations  the  interpretation  of  the  prophecies  caused 
no  stir,  as  the  end  was  then  distant.  But  William 
Miller  found  that  in  his  day  the  time  had  almost  run 
out;  and  the  looked-for  revolution,  and  the  signs,  had 
already  appeared;  therefore  the  judgment  must  be  at 
the  door.  This  being  the  legitimate  conclusion  from 
the  legitimate  and  accepted  expositions,  the  churches 
could  not,  and  did  not  show  his  error:  they  hardly 
made  any  attempt  to  do  so, — until  the  time  passed. 
_ Remember,  also,  that  the  falling  stars  of  1833  were 
fresh  in  the  memories  of  the  people,  and  thus  the 
heavens  co-operated  in  bringing  about  the  Advent 
movement. 

We  wish  our  readers  would  turn  to  the  history  of 
the  early  days  of  this  proclamation  and  read  concerning 
the  message,  and  the  power  that  propelled  and  ac- 
companied it.  It  seems  to  us  that  no  candid  reader 
can  peruse  the  Life  of  William  Miller,  who  first  in 
America  sounded  out  the  tidings  that  the  judgment 
was  nigh,  without  being  convinced  that  he  was  a 
"chosen  vessel"  used  of  God  at  that  special  time  for 
the  special  purpose  of  arousing  the  slumbering  church 
and  world  to  a  realization  of  the  proximity  of  the 
greatest  of  all  earthly  events,  and  to  a  preparation  for 
The  Second  Personal  Coming  of  Christ. 

About  this  same  time  the  same  message  was  -being 
heralded  elsewhere  in  the  world,  by  messengers  inde- 


18  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

pendent  of  each  other,  who  had  studied  prophecy  for 
themselves.  In  Asia,  as  well  as  in  Europe,  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Wolff,  a  converted  Jew,  journeyed  very  ex- 
tensively with  the  object  of  proclaiming  this  gospel  to 
the  Jews;  but  also  preached  it  to  Mohammedans, 
Hindoos  and  heathen.  A  Spanish  Roman  Catholic 
published  in  1812  a  work  on  "The  Second  Coming  of 
Christ  in  Glory  and  Majesty,"  under  the  name  of  Ben 
Ezra;  the  Rev.  Edward  Irving,  of  London,  published 
an  English  translation  of  this,  and  several  volumes  of 
his  own  on  prophecy.  Pere  Lambert,  in  France; 
Hentzepeter,  in  Holland;  Cunninghame,  in  Scotland; 
Faber,  and  many  others  in  England,  were  also  writing 
on  prophecy  in  the  years  before  1843. 

Miller  did  not  long  stand  alone  in  this  country  in 
heralding  the  solemn  warning.  Being  aroused  by 
so  peculiar  and  unexpected  a  message,  pious  men  and 
women  made  haste  to  turn  to  the  Book  and  investigate 
the  matter.  As  a  result  of  prayerful  investigation 
many  were  led,  yes,  forced,  to  lay  aside  everything 
which  concerned  only  their  temporal  welfare,  and  go, 
"run,"  with  the  same  tidings. 

The  late  Luther  Boutelle  in  his  "Life  and  Experi- 
ences," relates  how,  after  listening  to  several  lectures 
on  the  prophecies  by  William  Miller,  his  wife  said  to 
him  while  reviewing  some  part  of  the  evening's  lecture, 
"Don't  you  bslieve  that,  husband?"  He  said,  "Wife, 
it  is  Bible,  but  I  hardly  think  I  believe  it."  She  re- 
plied earnestly,  "Well,  if  it  is  Bible,  why  don't  you 
believe  it?"  To  this  he  replied,  "When  I  believe  it 
you  will  know  it;  for  I  will  have  to  leave  you  and  run 
with  the  message."  He  felt  within  himself  that  there 
was  "salvation  in  it,"  and  that  he  would  "have  to  go." 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON,  19 

So  it  was;  the  Spirit's  power  bore  home  the  truth 
to  men's  hearts;  and  many  like  Boutelle  were  forced 
to  leave  home  and  run  with  the  glad  news  of  soon 
coming  redemption  for  the  saved,  but  the  judgment 
of  the  world. 

Some,  like  Boutelle,  left  the  shoe-bench,  others  the 
plow,  the  mill,  the  store,  the  farm,  and  went,  carrying 
the  message  which  so  gladdened  their  hearts.  They 
went  as  they  were,  not  stopping  to  polish  themselves 
in  school;  went  filled  with  zeal,  fully  believing  the 
evidences  which  their  minds  had  grasped;  went  in  full 
faith,  although  not  knowing  where  to  lay  their  heads, 
nor  what  would  become  of  their  families  in  their  ab- 
sence; yes,  men  went,  impelled  by  a  power  more  than 
human. 

They  were  sent  of  God  to  spread  the  tidings  far  and 
near  and  to  arouse  the  people  to  prepare  for  the  judg- 
ment. As  a  result  of  these  efforts  the  country  was 
swept  by  revivals  of  the  deepest  nature.  The  proc- 
lamation showed  men  the  necessity  of  a  speedy  prep- 
aration for  the  event  proclaimed. 

As  illustrative  of  some  of  its  results  we  quote  the 
words  of  one  who  was  personally  in  the  work,  and  who 
speaks  from  experience : 

"The  tide  of  Millerism,  as  they  called  it,  rose  higher 
and  higher,  until,  like  the  rushing  of  many  waters,  it 
swept  over  the  land.  There  seemed  to  be  little  else 
talked  of.  It  was  the  theme  of  ministers,  deacons, 
class-leaders,  and  praying  bands;  some  opposing,  but 
most  impressed  deeply  with  the  subject. 

"The  spiritual  in  the  churches  fell  in  with  it  joyfully; 
saying,  'This  is  the  truth!  Glory!  Hallelujah!' 
Such  was  the  effect  of  believin":  that  message  that  men 


20  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

who  loved  the  world  and  were  covetous,  became  be- 
nevolent and  gave  to  the  cause  of  Christ  and  to  the  poor. 
Christ  was  a  new  Savior,  the  Bible  a  new  book :  so  they 
felt.  The  word  of  God  seemed  to  electrify  all  who  be- 
lieved this  doctrine  of  Christ's  soon  coming.  They 
saw  a  harmony  in  it,  and  an  import  they  had  never 
seen  before.  The  work  of  redemption,  culminating  at 
the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  to  judgment,  was  clearly 
seen." — Life  and  Experiences  of  L.  Boutelle,  pp.  40,  41. 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  present  doctrinal  argu- 
ments here,  but  simply  to  relate  circumstances  and 
events;  leaving  the  presentation  of  doctrine  to  a  later 
part  of  this  work,  where  it  will  be  given  in  the  words 
of  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  so  far  as  possible. 

Having  briefly  stated  the  fact  of  the  proclamation 
of  the  message  of  Christ's  near  advent,  and  some  of  the 
results  attending  this  proclamation,  which  was  made 
far  and  near  by  those  accepting  it  during  those  years, 
gathering  force  and  increasing  in  number  of  adherents 
as  time  went  on,  until,  in  1842,  the  messengers  with 
this  glad  news  reached  the  -wilderness  of  northern 
New  York,  about  the  time  that  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  reached  the  age  of  twelve  years. 


CHAPTER  III. 

GETTING   THE    NEWS   AND   A    BIBLE. 


In  1842  a  large  union  revival  meeting  was  held  in 
Chateaugay,  during  which  there  were  one  hundred  and 
fifty  professed  conversions.  These  meetings  were  con- 
ducted by  Elder  Hawkins  of  the  M.  E.  church,  and 
Elders  Isaac  Adrian  and  Dudley,  of  the  Baptist 
church,  who  had  heard  and  were  preaching  the  speedy 
coming  of  Christ.  Many  at  this  time  embraced  that 
doctrine,  among  whom  were  William  Sheldon's  parents. 

William  was  among  those  converted.  Of  this  event 
he  has  written: 

"In  1842,  being  in  my  thirteenth  year,  I  first  heard 
the  Advent  proclamation;  was  convinced  and  con- 
verted,— subsequently  went  through  the  '43,  and  '44 
experience  with  others,  though  young  at  the  time." 
Also,  "  When  but  a  boy,  in  1842,  being  in  my  thirteenth 
year,  I  first  heard  the  preaching  of  the  Advent  of 
Christ  at  hand — was  thrilled  by  it,  and  entered  the 
service  of  the  Lord,  believing  the  message  was  of 
divine  origin.  In  1843,  and  again  in  1844,  with  many 
others  we  looked  for  the  Lord,  though  but  a  lad." 

In  the  spring  of  1843  he  was  baptized  by  Elder 
Hawkins  of  the  M.  E.  church.  He  was  persuaded 
to  enter  the  M.  E.  church  as  a  probationer,  but  never 
joined  in  full  membership.  He  often  referred  to  hav- 
ing gone  into  "the  porch"  of  the  M.  E.  church.     This 

21 


22  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

was  before  believers  in  the  Advent  were  expelled,  and 
compelled  to  be  a  distinct  people,  which  came  about 
after  the  "disappointment." 

From  this  time  on  William  Sheldon  became  very 
deeply  interested  in  the  study  of  the  Bible.  Boy 
though  he  was,  his  Testament  became  his  constant 
companion.  A  short  time  ago  a  dear  old  lady  of 
eighty-nine  years,  Mrs.  S.  Stewart,  who  knew  him 
then,  wrote  us  on  learning  of  his  death : 

"How  fast  my  mind  went  back  to  the  time  when  I 
first  knew  him  and  his  father's  family;  when  he  was 
converted;  how  he  studied  and  improved  his  moments, 
always  with  his  Testament  in  his  vest  pocket;  and 
while  plowing,  when  the  horses  would  stop  to  rest  he 
would  sit  on  the  beam  of  the  plow  reading  his  Testa- 
ment." 

This  fresh  pen  picture  from  one  who  knew  him  well 
as  a  boy,  shows  his  love  for  the  word  of  God,  his  love 
for  study,  and  the  element  of  perseverance  in  his 
character. 

Brother  Wesley  Day,  also  a  neighbor  during  his 
boyhood,  recently  related  how  he  engaged  William, 
with  others,  to  hoe  corn;  and  how  he  would  work  just 
as  fast  as  he  could  to  get  through  his  row,  and  then  out 
would  come  his  Testament,  which  he  would  read  until 
the  others  had  finished  their  rows.  While  this  amused 
the  men,  they  took  pains  to  work  slowly,  so  as  to  give 
the  boy  time  to-study  his  Testament. 

The  reader  may  be  interested  to  learn  how  he  came 
into  possession  of  his  first  Bible.  He  was  not  satisfied 
with  the  little  pocket  Testament,  but  greatly  desired 
a  Bible,  and  often  prayed  for  one  which  should  be  his 
own.     This  was  not  so  easily  obtained  then  as  it  is 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  23 

now,  but  his  desire  was  strong.  And  not  long  after 
his  conversion  he  was  sent  on  an  errand  some  distance 
from  home  on  foot,  and  to  shorten  the  way  he  took 
a  footpath  through  the  woods,  instead  of  following  the 
road.  When  about  a  mile  and  a  half  into  the  woods, 
he  found  lying  directly  in  the  path  before  him  a  dead  fox, 
which  had  been  shot  the  night  before.  This  he  knew, 
for  the  reports  of  the  hunters'  guns  had  been  heard, 
but  the  hunters  were  unknown  to  him.  This  fox  had 
been  hit,  but  had  gotten  away  from  the  hunters,  and 
there  it  lay  in  the  path  before  him. 

Fox  skins  were  then  in  demand  for  furs,  and  in  this 
skin  he  saw  the  possibility  of  his  greatly  desired  Bible. 
He  instantly  grasped  the  thought  that  Providence  had 
directed  the  finding  of  the  animal.  But  right  here  a 
difficulty  arose:  he  did  not  know  how  to  remove  the 
skin  without  injuring  it  for  the  market.  He  thought 
of  a  neighbor  boy  who  had  done  such  work,  so  he 
shouldered  the  fox  and  retraced  his  steps.  The 
neighbor's  son  would  not  do  the  work  for  him  without 
promise  of  one-half  of  what  the  skin  would  bring,  and 
this  promise  was  made,  for  that  Bible  was  in  his  mind. 
He  had  next  to  dispose  of  the  skin,  but  the  market 
was  eighteen  miles  distant,  and  to  get  there  he  must 
walk. 

Starting  early  one  morning  with  the  fur  over  his 
shoulder,  he  footed  over  hills  and  through  woods  all 
of  the  eighteen  miles,  and  disposed  of  the  fur;  receiving 
for  it  the  sum  of  three  dollars.  To  a  boy  in  those  days 
this  was  an  immense  sum;  but  only  half  of  it  was  his. 
He  hastened  to  a  book  store  where  he  soon  made  pur- 
chase of  a  Bible,  paying  for  it  the  whole  of  his  share  of 
the  receipts,  and  the  anxiously  desired  book  was  his. 


24  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

How  happy  he  was !  He  said  it  seemed  as  if  he  was 
treading  on  air,  as  he  commenced  to  retrace  the  long 
homeward  journey.  He  would  sit  down  by  the  road- 
side, not  to  rest  but  to  read,  and  so  absorbed  was  he 
in  this  that  it  was  long  after  dark  before  he  reached 
his  home.  His  heart's  desire  had  been  providentially 
placed  in  his  hand,  and  he  was  satisfied  and  happy! 

With  such  an  early  inclination  to  know  and  to  love 
the  Bible,  and  to  search  for  and  find  the  precious 
truths  and  beauties  of  that  sacred  book,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  as  a  man  he  became  "mighty  in  the  Scriptures," 
and  proved  a  blessing  to  many,  being  instrumental  in 
the  hands  of  God  in  "  turning  many  to  righteousness." 
Oh  that  we  might  to-day  see  more  love  for  the 
Bible  in  the  young  and  the  old!  and  that  of  many 
more  it  could  be  said,  "that  from  a  child  thou  hast 
known  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make 
thee  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  YOUNG  MAN's  EDUCATION. 


Young  and  old  alike  are  exposed  to  temptations, 
and  the  manner  in  which  we  deal  with  them,  and  the 
lessons  for  good  which  we  learn  from  contact  with 
them,  serve  in  the  formation  of  our  life  character. 

In  the  boyhood  days  of  our  subject,  the  use  of 
liquors  and  tobacco  was  a  common  indulgence,  and 
was  considered  no  sin;  even  ministers  joining  with 
their  parishioners  in  taking  a  glass,  it  being  considered 
very  uncourteous  to  allow  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  or 
any  respected  visitor,  to  depart  from  the  house  witnoat 
bringing  out  a  mug  of  cider  or  a  glass  of  liquor. 

In  early  boyhood  the  use  of  liquors  and  tobacco 
became  to  William  Sheldon  a  sin,  as  contact  with 
either  brought  to  him  a  realizing  sense  of  their  injurious 
effects,  hence  leading  him  to  consider  indulgence  in 
them  sinful,  at  least  for  himself. 

As  an  amusement,  the  young  boys  sometimes  got 
up  a  hunt,  in  which  all  the  boys  around  participated. 
Once  the  boys  of  two  adjoining  districts  planned  a 
grand  rabbit  hunt.  They  formed  two  companies,  over 
one  of  which  William  was  made  captain.  The  company 
that  was  beaten  was  to  treat  the  winning  side.  A 
place  of  meeting  was  arranged  and  the  companies 
separated. 

When  the  hunt  was  over  it  was  found  that  William's 
25 


26  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

company  had  thirty-six  rabbits,  while  the  other  com- 
pany had  eleven  less,  and  had  to  furnish  the  treat. 
This  was  drink,  something  stronger  than  cider;  and 
of  this  all  partook,  and  William  with  the  rest. 

Soon  he  found  that  something  was  wrong;  every- 
thing was  in  a  whirl,  and  the  ground  seemed  to  rise  up 
and  strike  him  as  he  went  his  homeward  journey. 
Having  a  mile  and  a  half  to  go  in  this  condition,  he 
learned  a  lesson,  and  never  again  did  he  let  intoxicants 
pass  his  lips. 

So  with  tobacco.  He  was  persuaded  once  to  take 
a  chew  and  a  smoke  of  the  weed,  and  this  trial  made 
him  so  deathly  sick  that  he  was  convinced  that  it  was 
harmful,  and  also,  to  him,  sinful.  Never  again  could 
he  be  persuaded  to  attempt  its  use. 

Having  once  made  up  his  mind  as  to  the  right  or 
wrong  of  a  matter  he  was  very  firm  in  keeping  to  his 
decisions,  and  could  not  easily  be  moved  from  what 
he  considered  to  be  the  right.  The  early  develop- 
ment of  this  firmness,  in  following  decisions  of  right 
and  wrong,  was  an  element  of  character  which  fol- 
lowed him  through  life. 

As  a  boy  we  have  testimony  that  he  was  found  to 
be  trusty,  truthful,  honorable,  and  very  conscien- 
tious, and  these  qualities  made  him  useful  to  his  teach- 
ers and  others,  and  he  was  often  entrusted  with  matters 
that  could  not  be  given  to  others  with  the  same  assur- 
ance of  safety.  It  need  not  be  said  that  in  his  man- 
hood these  characteristics  remained,  and  made  him 
a  man  of  known  integrity  and  sterling  worth. 

He  was  not  satisfied  with  his  early  educational 
facilities,  yet  he  ever  made  the  best  possible  use  of 
those  he  had  at  hand.     He  had  an  uncle,  William 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  27 

Sheldon,  for  whom  he  was  named,  who  lived  at  Hamp- 
ton, New  York,  and  this  uncle  strongly  urged  him 
to  return  to  that  vicinity,  so  as  to  obtain  better  school 
privileges.  This  he  was  permitted  to  do;  but  he  had  no 
money  with  which  to  obtain  an  education.  His 
uncle  obtained  work  for  him,  and  aided  him  what 
he  could ;  and  thus  he  was  enabled  to  enter  the  Poult- 
ney  Academy,  a  good  school,  located  in  Poultney, 
Vermont,  just  across  the  river  from  Hampton,  New 
York.  He  worked  at  anything  he  could  get  to  do 
that  would  aid  him  to  attend  school.  During  one 
year  of  his  study  here  he  was  taken  into  the  family 
of  Dr.  Beaman,  of  Poultney.  It  was  through  many 
difficulties  and  hardships  that  he  succeeded  in  laying 
a  good  foundation  here  for  his  after  studies  and 
work. 

While  at  Poultney  Academy  he  became  acquainted 
with  two  brothers,  neighbors  of  his  uncle,  who  were 
college  graduates  and  excellent  instructors — Pro- 
fessors Ralph  and  Rodney  Richards.  These  men  took 
a  great  interest  in  him,  seeing  in  him  what  they  thought 
to  be  more  than  common  ability,  and  they  offered 
to  assist  him  later  in  his  studies.  Remaining  some 
time  longer  with  his  uncle,  he  placed  himself  under 
their  instruction,  studying  Greek,  Hebrew  and  other 
branches.  A  deep  friendship  grew  between  them, 
and  the  brothers  were  always  held  in  loving  remem- 
brance by  their  pupil,  who  long  afterward  named  one  of 
his  grandsons  for  Prof.  Ralph  Richards. 

By  the  time  he  was  fifteen  years  old  it  was  claimed 
by  some  that  he  was  better  posted  on  the  Bible  than 
many  ministers.  He  often  entered  into  conversation 
with  preachers  and  others,  upon  Bible  themes,  and 


28  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

always  with  his  Bible  in  hand,  ready  to  turn  to  a 
"Thus  saith  the  Lord." 

Many  incidents  might  be  related  showing  the  early 
development  of  some  of  the  elements  which  com- 
bined to  make  him  "the  man  for  the  place"  he  was 
afterward  to  fill ;  but  we  now  leave  the  quiet  child  and 
studious  youth,  with  the  prayer  that  some  may  be 
helped  and  encouraged  in  fortitude  and  faithfulness 
by  this  brief  glimpse  of  the  past. 

We  now  proceed  to  relate  some  of  the  labors  and 
experiences  of  our  subject  during  his  years  of  man- 
hood, and  along  the  line  of  his  chosen  life-work,  in 
which  his  whole  being  was  absorbed,  and  through 
which  his  influence  extended  over  a  vast  territory, 
even  reaching  beyond  the  oceans — that  work  being 
the  proclamation  by  voice  and  pen  of  the  dispensa- 
tional  and  "present  truth;"  namely:  the  Imminence 
of  the  Second  Advent  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  this 
earth;  and  the  doctrines  of  the  Nature  of  Man,  and 
of  the  State  of  the  Dead,  which  are  inseparably  con- 
nected with  that  of  the  Second  Advent,  as  showing 
its  necessity;  and  also  the  exposition  of  the  events 
related  to,  and  accompanying  the  Advent,  such  as 
Eternal  Judgment  Rewards  and  Punishment;  —  and 
by  no  means  omitting  the  declaration  of  the  Way 
of  Salvation,  and  the  necessary  Preparation  in  order 
to  be  accepted  by  the  Lord  at  his  coming. 

Having  been  converted  under  the  preaching  of 
the  Lord's  soon  coming,  he  accepted  and  loved  that 
doctrine  as  a  youth,  and  his  faith  and  love  strength- 
ened and  deepened  as  the  years  rolled  on,  so  enthus- 
ing and  thrilling  his  very  being  that  he  could  not 
help  but  devote  his  life  to  that  cause;  though  had  he 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  29 

followed  his  natural  bent  he  would  have  become  a 
lawyer,  instead  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  of  a 
most  unpopular  and  even  despised  message.  It  was 
the  late  Elder  Hiram  I\Iunger,  we  think,  who  said: 
"God  spoiled  a  mighty  good  lawyer  when  he  made 
a  preacher  out  of  Sheldon." 


CHAPTER  V. 

CALLED  TO  CARRY  THE  FLYING  ANGEl's  MESSAGE, 


When  the  blessed  hope  of  the  Lord's  near  return 
was  first  preached  in  this  country,  it  so  took  hold 
of  large  numbers  of  men  that  it  resulted  in  the  going 
out  of  many  to  tell  the  story  and  carry  the  news, 
and  the  holding  of  special  religious  services  in  many 
different  localities.  Preachers  would  stay  a  few  days 
in  one  place  and  deliver  the  word,  then  pass  on  quickly 
to  another  place;  thus  keeping  actively  in  the  field, 
often  until  physically  worn  out. 

The  people  also  were  so  absorbed  in  the  preaching, 
that  often  they  left  home  and  went  to  attend  the 
meetings  being  held  in  some  other  town,  so  desirous  were 
they  to  hear  more  on  this  subject.  One  whom  we 
have  talked  with  followed  Mr.  Miller's  meetings  for 
six  weeks,  as  a  hearer  only.  The  preaching  was  ac- 
companied by  such  power  that  men  were  drawn  to 
listen,  going  for  miles,  on  foot  or  otherwise,  to  get 
to  hear  the  Word. 

It  was  then  a  common  occurrence  for  William 
Sheldon  to  go  from  one  place  to  another  to  be  in  at- 
tendance at  meetings  which  were  being  held  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  state,  here  and  there,  just  as  places 
opened,  or  could  be  opened.  These  trips  were  made 
on  foot,  and  he  would  even  venture  so  far  as  forty 

30 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  31 

miles  away  on  foot,  so  deep  was  his  love  for  hearing 
the  gospel;  and  he  soon  became  well  known  to 
preachers  of  "the  message"  in  northern  New  York, 
and  it  was  predicted  by  them  that  he  would  become 
a  preacher. 

At  a  grove  meeting,  held  in  1848,  at  Chateaugay, 
New  York,  at  which  several  ministers  were  present, 
Bro.  Sheldon  was  persuaded,  at  the  age  of  eighteen, 
to  make  his  first  public  effort  to  preach.  There  was 
a  certain  bashfulness  and  reserve  in  his  character, 
which  made  it  very  hard  for  him  to  think  of  speak- 
ing in  public,  though  he  had  some  boldness  in  private 
conversation,  which  led  him  to  defend,  if  necessary, 
what  he  believed  to  be  true  and  right. 

Up  to  the  time  of  this  grove  meeting  he  said 
he  had  never  even  given  an  extended  testimony  or 
exhortation  in  public.  He  would  always  testify, 
though  in  a  few  words,  never  to  exceed  two  or  three 
sentences;  his  diffidence  was  so  great  that  he  could 
not  muster  up  courage  to  attempt  more. 

He  was  now  urged  to  attempt  to  preach.  "What 
an  undertaking!  Yet  his  heart's  desire  lay  in  this 
direction,  and  amid  the  prayers  and  blessings  of  the 
ministers  present  he  stepped  forth  with  his  little 
Bible  in  hand — the  same  one  before  mentioned,  and 
which  he  continued  to  use  during  the  early  years  of 
his  ministry — and  commenced  to  speak  to  the  gath- 
ered people  in  the  open  grove,  using  as  his  text  the 
words:    "I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life." 

He  had  spoken  about  fifteen  minutes  when  a  heavy 
thunder-shower  suddenly  came  up,  causing  all  to  seek 
such  shelter  as  there  could  be  obtained,  the  audience 
filling  up  the  platform,   which  had  been  put  up  of 


32  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

rough  boards  and  covered  with  the  same  for  a  shelter 
for  the  speakers. 

Here  they  waited,  the  preachers  often  expressing 
the  wish  that  it  would  stop  raining  so  that  Bro. 
Sheldon  could  finish  his  sermon;  while  Bro.  Shel- 
don secretly  hoped  it  would  not  stop  raining  then, 
for  he  had  gone  as  far  as  he  could  anyhow.  The 
rain  continued,  so  he  was  saved  the  embarrassment 
of  a  complete  break-down  in  his  first  public  attempt. 
Possibly  that  shower  was  divinely  directed. 

His  second  attempt,  made  also  there,  was  with 
better  success  and  without  break.  His  third  sermon, 
given  when  just  past  nineteen  years  of  age,  was  the 
beginning  of  a  series  of  over  thirty  sermons,  one  after 
the  other. 

During  this  protracted  effort  a  Mormon  elder  came 
around  to  fill  a  forenoon  appointment  in  the  same 
house  he  was  occupying.  This  man  made  a  raid  on 
the  ''Millerites,"  and  of  course  on  what  Bro.  Shel- 
don was  preaching.  This  aroused  him,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  meeting  he  jumped  up  on  a  seat  and  gave 
notice  that  the  morning's  discourse  would  be  reviewed 
that  evening.  This  notice  filled  the  house  to  over- 
flowing that  night,  and  he  took  up  the  subject,  hold- 
ing the  audience  two  and  one-half  hours. 

As  a  result  of  this,  his  first  protracted  effort,  quite 
a  number  were  converted — over  forty,  if  we  correctly 
remember  the  statement — and  brought  to  see  the 
light  of  the  truth. 

From  this  on  he  entered  fully  into  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  visiting  and  preaching  in  many  places  in 
northern  New  York  and  Canada  West,  answering 
calls  or  tDpening  up  fields  in  which  to  labor. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  33 

111  the  summer  of  1849  Eld.  R.  V.  Lyon  visited 
Chateaugay  and  held  a  tent  meeting  which  resulted 
in  a  number  of  conversions.  In  this  meeting  Bro. 
Sheldon  assisted,  and  from  that  time  on  for  a  few- 
years  he  was  associated  in  work  with  Eld.  Lyon,  to 
quite  an  extent,  laboring  in  New  York  and  Canada. 
Eld.  Lyon  was  a  very  peculiar  man,  somewhat 
rough,  perhaps,  in  his  ways,  yet  he  did  a  good  work. 
Riding  along  the  roadway  to  fill  an  appointment,  on 
seeing  a  man  in  the  field  he  would  stop,  hail  the  man, 
call  him  to  the  road,  and  then  give  him  notice  of  his 
meeting  something  like  this:  "Say,  there  is  a  Lyon 
going  to  roar  down  at  the  school-house  to-night.  Come 
down  and  hear  him."  And  then  he  would  whip  up 
his  horse  and  ride  quickly  away,  leaving  the  man  by  the 
fence  too  astonished  to  speak.     He  easily  drew  crowds. 

In  the  year  1851  a  conference  of  Adventist  believers 
was  held  in  Chateaugay,  at  which,  on  the  21st  day 
of  September,  Bro.  Sheldon  was  ordained  to  the 
work  of  the  gospel  ministry.  We  give  below  a  copy 
of  a  document  in  our  possession^  which  speaks  for  itself; 

"to  all  concerned. 

"I  do  hereby  certify  that  Bro.  William  Sheldon, 
of  Chateaugay,  Franklin  county,  New  York,  was  set 
apart  (ordained)  by  myself  to  the  work  of  proclaim- 
ing all  of  God's  revealed  truth,  and  to  attend  to  all 
those  duties  which  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  has 
enjoined  upon  those  whom  he  has  called  to  this  work, 
according  to  the  rule  given  in  his  Word ;  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  21st  of  September,  A.  D.  1851,  at  Cha- 
teaugay, Franklin  county,  New  York. — R.  V.  Lyon, 

"A  proclaimer  of  the  doctrine  taught  by  one  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,   whom  the  Jews   crucified."' 


34  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

The  late  Elder  D.  T.  Taylor  assisted  in  this  ordina- 
tion service,  as  may  be  learned  from  the  following 
extract  taken  from  a  communication  written  by 
Bro.  Sheldon  and  published  in  the  Bible  Banner, 
when  he  and  Bro.  Taylor  were  appointed  corre- 
sponding editors  of  that  paper,  in  1876: 

"We  are  glad  that  its  pages  are  to  sparkle  with 
productions  from  the  able  pen  of  Bro.  D.  T.  Tay- 
lor. If  his  pen  is  hereafter  inspired  by  the  spirit  that 
moved  it  in  other  days,  many  hearts  will  be  com- 
forted, and  many  minds  enlightened.  He  held  our 
trembling  hand  over  twenty-six  years  ago  when  we 
entered  the  ministry,  and  we  now  cheerfully  grasp 
his  editorial  hand  as  a  co-laborer  in  this  new  depart- 
ment." 

In  giving  himself  to  the  gospel  ministry,  Bro. 
Sheldon  had  first  "counted  the  costs,"  and  knew  full 
well  that  some  of  the  experiences  through  which  he 
would  pass  would  be  anything  but  desirable.  But, 
"choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people 
of  God,"  and  "esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ," 
and  last  day  truth,  "greater  riches  than  the  treasures 
in  Egypt,"  he  deliberately  entered  the  work,  and 
gave  a  life-time  to  the  cause  he  loved  dearer  than 
life  itself. 

The  upbuilding  and  defense  of  a  cause  lacking 
popular  favor,  and  whose  advocates  were  looked  upon 
with  contempt  and  treated  with  scorn,  ridicule  and 
persecutions,  was  the  work  he  chose,  and  ever  sought 
to  accomplish;  and  the  hardships  and  trials  through 
which  he  afterwards  passed  never  once  availed  to 
tempt  him  to  desert  the  path  of  his  early  choice. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

EARLY   WORK   AND    OPPOSITION. 


For  about  three  years  after  his  ordination  Bro. 
Sheldon  continued  to  spend  most  of  his  time  in  north- 
ern Xew  York  and  Canada  West,  preaching  as  the 
way  was  opened  to  him,  or  himself  opening  up  fields 
in  which  to  labor  and  spread  the  glad  tidings  of  soon- 
coming  redemption.  During  this  time  he  passed 
through  many  remarkable  experiences,  some  of  which 
showed  that  the  savage  in  human  nature  had  not 
been  all  eliminated. 

In  three  Canada  towns  he  was  forced  to  face  mobs 
composed  of  roughs  and  Roman  Catholics:  in  Ma- 
tilda, Whitby,  and  Merrimac.  While  preaching  from 
the  chart,  treating  upon  historical  and  prophetical 
facts,  mention  of  Rome  and  the  papacy  was,  of  course, 
made.  Opposers  of  the  Word,  some  of  whom  were 
members  of  churches,  decided  to  use  the  references 
to  papal  Rome  as  a  means  of  inciting  the  Roman 
Catholics  to  break  up  the  lectures  by  violence;  so 
they  made  reports  to  some  Romanists,  and  did  not 
hesitate  even  to  misrepresent.  The  next  night  quite 
a  large  number  of  that  element  were  present,  but 
with  no  good  intentions,  for  they  came  on  purpose 
to  break  up  the  meeting.  Bro.  Sheldon  had  on 
a  new  suit  of  clothes,  and  as  he  stood  in  the  pulpit 

35 


36  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

declaring  the  Word,  suddenly  a  shower  of  rotten 
eggs  flew  around  him,  hitting  him  and  the  desk  by 
the  dozen.  His  new  suit  was  ruined.  He  remarked 
that  those  were  the  softest  arguments  his  opposers 
had  to  furnish,  and  went  on  and  finished  the  service. 

Not  having  succeeded  in  breaking  up  the  meeting 
that  night,  they  returned  next  night  in  greater  force. 
This  night  good  eggs  were  thrown  at  him — the  supply 
of  bad  ones  having  been  exhausted  on  the  evening 
before.  Also  a  number  of  stones  were  thrown,  but 
none  of  these  hit  or  hurt  him,  though  one  coming 
within  a  few  inches  of  his  forehead  dropped  directly 
down  without  touching  him,  as  if  it  had  there  met 
an  invisible  wall.  These,  he  told  them,  were  the 
hardest  arguments  they  could  present. 

He  finished  this  service  fearlessly,  the  mob  hooting 
around  outside,  and  intending  to  do  him  bodily  harm 
when  he  should  come  out  of  the  church.  At  the 
close  of  the  service  a  hurried  consultation  was  held 
by  the  brethren.  All  the  lights  were  extinguished 
at  once,  and  gathering  around  him  in  numbers  they 
all  stepped  out  together  into  the  darkness,  and  min- 
gled in  the  crowd  without  his  being  recognized  by 
the  howling  mob;  and  ''he,  passing  through  the  midst 
of  them,  went  his  way,"  being  taken  to  a  house  in 
another  part  of  the  town  to  remain  that  night,  where 
no  one  suspected  he  would  go.  The  mob,  infuriated 
because  their  plans  were  foiled,  howled  around  until 
near  daylight,  threatening  to  kill  him  if  they  but 
found  him. 

Thus  the  Lord's  protecting  care  was  manifested, 
and  no  harm  was  permitted  to  befall  him  for  declar- 
ing the  Word  of  God. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  37 

Again.  Brother  Sheldon  was  invited  to  the  town 
of  Whitby,  twenty-eight  miles  east  of  Toronto,  and 
arrangements  were  made  for  meetings,  and  a  place 
secured  for  three  nights.  Bro.  J.  D.  Foster,  who 
entertained  him  during  his  stay  there,  and  who  made 
the  arrangements,  furnished  the  following  account 
of  another  mob  experience.     He  said : 

"I  Avas  very  much  taken  up  with  the  young  man, 
and  had  high  hopes  of  a  good  time  on  my  part,  and  a 
great  treat  for  those  who  would  come  to  hear.  The 
first  evening  he  preached  an  impressive  Bible  sermon. 
Some  of  the  church-members  heard  it,  and  there  was 
so  much  Bible  that  contradicted  their  belief  that  they 
made  up  their  minds  he  should  not  preach  any 
more  there;  and  they  planned  to  break  up  the  meet- 
ings with  eggs.  We  knew  the  leaders,  who  were  sons 
of  certain  pious  ones  whose  faces  were  as  long  as  the 
names  they  bore. 

"Well,  the  second  night  was  a  warm,  pleasant 
evening,  the  doors  and  windows  were  open,  and,  for 
a  small  place,  a  large  congregation  gathered.  Brother 
Sheldon  stood  up  with  Bible  in  hand,  and  announced 
his  subject,  and  spoke  for  perhaps  fifteen  minutes. 
He  stood  at  the  rear  end  of  the  hall,  facing  the  door, 
when  suddenly  there  came  a  shower  of  eggs,  many 
dozens  all  at  once.  Two  hit  him  about  his  shoulders, 
and  one  on  his  forehead.  It  was  a  shock  to  me.  The 
congregation  never  moved.  Bro.  Sheldon  took 
his  handkerchief  and  wiped  his  besmeared  face,  and 
continued  preaching. 

"About  half  an  hour  afterwards  the  mob  came  back 
and  pounded  on  the  siding  outside,  and  tossed  a  stone 
or  two  through  the  window.     One  stone  hit  my  wife's 


S8  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

hand,  which  happened  to  be  on  her  baby's  head,  as 
he  lay  asleep  on  her  lap.  That  hand  saved  the  child; 
and  for  some  reason  unknown  and  inexplainable  it  did 
not  injure  her.  I  do  not  think  they  intended  to  hurt 
anyone,  but   aimed   for  the  space   around  the  altar. 

"Well,  we  stayed,  and  he  finished  his  sermon  with 
the  utmost  courage  and  firmness.  His  voice  did  not 
falter,  yet  he  was  compelled  to  dodge  once.  After  all 
these  stones  had  been  thrown,  some  one  went  and 
stood  in  the  door  to  protect  him,  and  to  watch.  The 
next  day  he  went  on  his  way." 

Ministers  of  to-day  know  but  very  little  what  it 
cost  an  half  century  ago  for  a  man  to  step  out  and  at- 
tempt to  "declare  all  the  counsel  of  God."  Per- 
secutions of  a  violent  type  were  then  common,  as 
some  living  witnesses  can  still  testify,  and  these  know 
that  the  above  accounts  are  not  overdrawn;  and 
much  more  could  be  added  which  would  show  that 
it  took  men  who  could,  and  did,  rely  on  a  more  than 
human  power  to  take  them  safely  through  the  ex- 
periences endured  in  the  earlier  days  of  our  existence 
as  a  "called  of  God"  people. 

We  will  here  subjoin  part  of  a  letter  written  by 
Elder  D.  A.  Dickinson,  then  of  Iowa,  which  records 
another  like  instance.     He  wrote: 

"...  I  must  record  this  meeting  at  Dubuque. 
There  was  one  Adventist  family  that  went  from  Cas- 
cade, and  there  were  a  few  Germans,  Lutherans,  I 
think,  who  had  become  interested  hearing  Eld.  Grant, 
and  it  was  thought  best  to  get  Bro.  Sheldon  and  have 
a  tent  meeting.  So  Eld.  P.  W.  Hough  and  I  went 
to  help.  Bro.  Sheldon  came  and  we  pitched  the  tent, 
and  he  put  up  his  chart,  and  for  a  few  evenings  we 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  39 

had  comparative  quiet.  But  soon  the  Irish  Cathohc 
element  got  wind  of  what  was  meant  in  the  chart, 
and  began  to  make  a  disturbance,  and  if  ever  I  had 
my  hands  full  of  business  it  was  then  while  Bro.  S. 
was  preaching.  Of  course,  Bro,  Hough  helped  all 
he  could,  ...  he  stayed  with  me  and  slept  in 
the  tent  and  took  turns  watching,  for  we  expected 
the  tent  would  be  torn  down,  in  fact  some  guy  ropes 
were  cut;  but  the  greatest  disturbance  was  made 
during  preaching.  Bro.  S.  had  at  that  time  a  little 
impediment  in  his  speech,  and  the  young  Irish  girls 
and  boys  would  mock  him,  right  to  his  face.  He  did 
not  mind  it  at  all  but  went  on  pouring  out  the  truth 
of  the  little  horn  of  Daniel. 

"We  made  an  appeal  to  the  Mayor  for  protection, 
but  that  functionary  was  himself  a  Catholic,  .  .  . 
and  we  concluded  that  the  police  would  be  Irish  too, 
and  would  not  be  any  help  to  us.  So  the  meeting 
ran  on  over  the  next  Lord's  day,  and  such  a  time  as 
we  had  on  that  Sunday!  .  .  ,  Elder  Hough  and 
I  went  outside  and  walked  around  the  tent  to  prevent 
it  from  being  torn  down.  I  have  often  wondered 
how  we  ever  went  through  that  evening  and  came 
out  as  well  as  we  did." 

It  may  be  in  place  here  to  insert  a  short  extract 
from  The  World's  Crisis  of  March,  1866,  to  show 
how  these  pioneers  felt  and  reasoned  concerning 

"the  advent  people  and  faith. 

"The  Advent  people  are  a  distinct  people,  and  came 
into  existence  under  a  prophetic  proclamation.  That 
proclamation  portrayed  the  speedy  termination  of 
all  earthly  kingdoms,  and  the  establishment  of  the 


40  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

kingdom  of  God  on  earth.  It  is  true  that  this  event 
was  looked  for  at  too  early  a  date,  but  this  did  not 
in  the  least  invalidate  the  truthfulness  of  the  great 
proclamation — the  nearness  of  the  event,  unmistaka- 
bly indicated  by  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy.  And 
if  this  proclamation,  which  gave  us  an  existence  as 
a  distinct  people,  was  not  all  error,  it  is  still  a  proc- 
lamation due  a  slumbering  church  and  sinful  world. 
If  this  is  really  so,  we  have  a  specific  message  to  sound 
in  the  ears  of  this  last  generation,  and  but  a  short 
time  to  do  it  in.  Let  us,  then,  either  conclude  that 
the  proclamation  which  has  given  us  birth  as  a  dis- 
tinct people  is  a  delusion,  or  let  us  go  to  work  in  earnest 
and  sound  the  alarm,  even  if  it  does  require  a  sacrifice 
at  our  hand.  If  it  is  a  truth  at  all,  it  is  a  truth  of 
unparalleled  magnitude  and  interest  involving  the 
return  of  Christ  from  heaven,  the  resurrection  of  the 
sleeping  saints,  the  end  of  mercy's  day  to  the  wicked, 
and  the  introduction  of  Messiah's  kingdom.  And 
with  events  like  these  but  a  step  before  us,  can  we 
feel  indifferent,  and  be  inactive?  For  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century  has  this  solemn  message  been 
proclaimed,  and  we  are  now  being  crowded  into  the 
extremity  of  the  circle  of  time  in  which  the  prophetic 
measurements  must  terminate. 

"As  a  people  we  should  now  be  all  astir  with  heaven- 
ly zeal,  warning  sinners  to  prepare,  and  feeding  "the 
household  of  faith  with  meat  in  due  season;"  for, 
"blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  Lord,  when  he 
Cometh,  shall  find  so  doing."  Our  duty  is  plain. 
Our  work  is  before  us.     Will  we  do  it?     God  help  us. 

"Wm.  Sheldon." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A   LARGER   FIELD. 


Among  Bro.  Sheldon's  early  co-laborers  in  his  home 
vicinity  were  such  men  as  D.  T.  Taylor,  J.  B.  Cook, 
O.  D.  Gibson,  W.  M.  Sutherland,  M.  Batcheler,  and 
R.  V.  Lyon.  But  his  labors  were  not  to  be  long  con- 
fined to  his  home  and  its  surrounding  districts,  he 
was  distined  to  extend  his  work  into  a  larger   field. 

Mention  has  already  been  made  of  his  association 
in  work  with  Elder  R.  V.  Lyon,  whose  home  was  in 
Woodstock,  Ct.  Elder  Lyon  arranged  a  preaching 
tour  which  should  take  Bro.  Sheldon  into  the  East, 
and  they  started  together  from  New  York  state  early 
in  January,  1853,  to  travel  toward  New  England. 
They  stopped  first  at  Hebron,  N.  Y.,  where  Bro.  S. 
preached  twice;  thence  went  to  Pownel,  and  other 
points  in  Vermont;  then  into  Massachusetts,  preach- 
ing at  Northfield  Farms,  Springfield,  Greenfield, 
Worcester,  and  other  places;  also  at  several  points 
in  Connecticut. 

Returning,  he  preached  in  several  other  Vermont 
towns,  and  again  visited  Hebron,  N.  Y.,  going  from 
thence  to  his  old  home  at  Hampton,  where  he  also 
preached.  Here  he  visited  the  grave  of  William 
Miller,  who  died  on  Dec.  20,  1849.  Only  a  few  weeks 
before  the  death  of  Father  Miller,  Bro.  S.  had  visited 
him  in  his  home  for  the  last  time.     Here  it  will  be 

41 


42  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

interesting  to  read  a  brief  record  which  Bro.  Sheldon 
has  left,  concerning  his  personal  acquaintance  with 
that  man  of  God.     His  account  is  as  follows: 

"My  first  remembrance  of  Wm.  Miller  of  Hampton, 
N.  Y.,  dates  back  to  1837,  when  but  a  school  boy- 
living  in  the  same  town.  I  had  previously  heard  of 
the  'Prophet  Miller'  living  in  another  part  of  the  town; 
but  one  day  two  teams  were  passing  my  father's 
house,  driven  by  boys:  one  tried  to  pass  the  other, 
and  in  so  doing  one  conveyance  was  capsized,  and 
Miller  was  thrown  out,  and  slightly  hurt;  his  sus- 
penders being  broken  in  the  act;  and  he  came  into 
my  father's  house  for  repairs,  and  to  wait  till  his 
boys  captured  the  runaway  horses,  which  they  were 
driving,  I  always  remember  the  statement  of  Miller, 
made  on  entering  the  house, — 'The  boys  deserve  to 
be  whipped  for  running  horses;'  but  I  never  learned 
whether  the  boys  got  their  deserts  for  the  deed,  or 
not.     This  was  my  first  sight  of  Miller. 

"Subsequently  my  people  moved  to  another  part 
of  the  state;  and  in  1840  a  terrible  tornado  visited 
the  section,  mowing  down  the  forest  like  grass  before 
the  scythe;  and  in  witnessing  the  scene  I  feared  that 
Miller's  prophecy  was  about  being  fulfilled.  In  1842, 
being  then  in  my  thirteenth  year,  I  first  heard  the  Ad- 
vent proclamation;  was  convinced  and  converted — 
subsequently  went  through  the  '43  and  '44  experi- 
ence with  others,  though  young  at  the  time.  In  1847, 
I  went  back  to  Hampton  on  a  visit,  and  heard  Miller 
speak  on  Hampton  Hill.  In  1849  I  went  back  again 
(I  had  then  commenced  preaching),  went  to  Miller's 
house,  and  took  dinner  with  him.  He  was  then  en- 
tering his  last  sickness,  though  not  confined  to  his 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  43 

bed.  He  died  the  same  year.  So  my  ministerial 
career  began  a  few  months  before  Miller's  ended.  He 
was  a  man  of  God,  having  the  message  of  God  in  the 
main,  minus  a  premature  expectation.  He  sleeps  in 
Jesus,  soon  to  awake." 

In  the  early  part  of  1853,  Bro.  Sheldon  also  took 
a  trip  to  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  where  the  publishing 
house  which  sent  out  the  paper  called  the  Advent 
Harbinger  was  located.  To  this  paper  he  early  began 
to  send  the  productions  of  his  pen,  for  when  quite 
young  he  had  begun  to  develop  his  talent  for  writing, 
and  in  this  branch  of  the  Lord's  work  he  afterwards 
became  widely  useful.  At  this  time  he  arranged 
there  for  the  printing,  later  in  that  year,  of  his  first 
printed  work,  a  pamphlet  of  187  pages,  entitled, 
"The  Gospel  Vindicator."  For  a  time  after  this 
Bro.  S.  was  associated  somewhat  with  the  labors  of 
Joseph  Marsh,   the  editor  of  the  Advent  Harbinger. 

In  the  latter  part  of  this  same  year  a  second  trip 
into  New  England  was  made,  and  appointments  were 
arranged  for  some  meetings  in  the  city  of  Southbridge, 
Mass.,  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  little  village  of 
Sturbridge,  the  home  of  Sylvanus  Stone,  a  man  who 
furnished  a  "pilgrim's  home"  for  Adventists.  This 
Bro.  Stone  and  his  wife  had  early  embraced  the  Ad- 
vent views,  and  had  been  "cast  out"  from  the  Baptist 
church  as  a  consequence.  Their  home  was  always 
open  to  those  of  "like  precious  faith,"  and  many  min- 
isters and  others  were  gladly  entertained  time  and 
again  in  that  hospitable  residence. 

On  January  eighth,  1854,  Bro.  Sheldon  wended  his 
way  from  Woodstock,  Ct.,  to  this  Bro.  Stone's  home, 
which  was  to  be  his  stopping-place  during  his  South- 


44  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

bridge  appointments.  When  within  a  few  steps  of 
the  house,  the  door  suddenly  opened  and  there  ap- 
peared from  within  a  young  lady,  a  daughter  of  the 
household,  with  a  pan  of  water  in  her  hands.  Seeing 
a  young  man  before  the  door,  she  slammed  it  shut,  and 
rushed  out  of  sight  into  a  back  room. 

Some  years  ago,  Elder  John  G.  Hook,  who  in  those 
days  frequented  that  home,  described  to  the  writer  in 
his  own  quaint  style,  this  same  young  lady  as  she  ap- 
peared in  those  days,  as  being  "young,  and  fresh,  and 
beautiful;"  be  that  as  it  may,  that  young  lady  was  the 
one  whose  life  was  afterwards  linked  with  William 
Sheldon's,  for  a  period  of  over  forty-eight  years. 

To  another  member  of  the  household  who  admitted 
him  to  the  house,  the  young  man  announced  that  he 
was  William  Sheldon.  Bro.  Stone  was  sent  for,  and 
came  in  and  was  introduced  to  "Bro.  Sheldon."  He 
looked  him  over,  and  said,  "This  is  not  Bro.  Sheldon 
of  the  Harbinger."  But  he  declared  that  he  was. 
Bro.  Stone  insisted  that  he  could  not  be;  for  that  Bro. 
Sheldon  was  an  old  man,  and  that  he  must  be  a  son  of 
the  Harbinger  Bro.  S.  But  the  young  man  persisted 
in  asserting  that,  "I  am  he."  He  had  already  be- 
come widely  known  by  his  writings;  and  many  who 
knew  him  only  by  his  writings  had  received  the  im- 
pression that  he  was  then  a  man  well  advanced  in 
years. 

Up  to  this  time  Bro.  S.  had  held  somewhat  to  "Age- 
to-come"  views.  These  were  advocated  by  the  Har- 
binger, and  by  several  of  his  co-laborers  at  that  time : 
Bro.  Stone  also  held  to  the  same. 

In  his  discourses  at  Southbridge  our  brother  brought 
in  this  theory  somewhat,  and  when,  after  returning  to 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  45 

the  hoiise^  the  family  talked  over  the  sermons  with  the 
young  minister,  the  daughter  before  referred  to  spoke 
out  plainly  against  the  theory  of  an  "Age-to-come. " 
Quite  a  family  discussion  followed,  with  the  result  that 
from  that  time  the  young  minister  sealed  his  lips  on 
that  subject. 

About  five  years  afterward,  when  he  had  been  in  the 
West  for  some  time,  Bro.  S.  wrote  a  series  of  articles, 
coming  out  clearly  and  entirely  against  a  future  proba- 
tion for  any;  and  from  that  time  on  he  was  fully  com- 
mitted to  the  opposition  of  that  error. 

This  episode  illustrates  a  strong  characteristic  of  his. 
If  a  doubt  as  to  any  point  arose  in  his  mind,  he  sealed 
his  lips  on  it  until  he  had  made  a  thorough  investigation; 
and  not  until  he  became  thoroughly  satisfied,  after 
careful  and  full  investigation  of  the  subject  in  all  its 
bearings,  and  prepared  to  defend  his  position  on  all 
sides,  did  he  proclaim  his  views  regarding  the  matter. 
But  when  thoroughly  posted,  and  convinced  as  to  the 
right  and  wrong  of  a  subject,  he  never  hesitated  to 
speak  out  on  it,  and  did  so  with  much  positiveness. 

Elder  O.  M.  Owen  has  written  thus: 

"I  am  so  organized  that  I  am  specially  drawn  to  one 
who  has  positive  convictions  concerning  what  is  truth; 
and  who  has,  moreover^  the  courage  to  proclaim  the 
same.     Such  a  man  was  our  beloved  Bro.  Sheldon." 

And  we  will  just  remark  here  that  his  well-known 
positiveness  was  not  mere  wilfulness,  or  egotism,  but 
was  because  his  convictions  were  not  second-hand  ones, 
borrowed  from  somebody  else, — as  they  too  often  are. 
That  kind  of  "views"  can  be  easily  taken  up;  and  as 
easily  laid  aside,  upon  occasion;  but  William  Sheldon 
was  not  that  kind  of  a  man. 


46  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

After  examining  and  committing  himself  against  the 
so-called  "Age-to-come"  error,  he  was  never  "side- 
tracked" by  any  of  the  various  "-isms"  which  have 
arisen  to  draw  off,  divide,  and  confuse  the  body  of  Ad- 
ventists.  All  such  points  as  the  keeping  of  the  "Sev- 
enth Day  Sabbath;"  the  "Non-Resurrection  of  the 
Wicked  Dead;"  and  so  on,  were  thoroughly  investi- 
gated, totally  rejected,  and  we  think  sufficiently  refuted 
by  him.  These  theories  have  been  dealt  many  a  hard 
blow  by  his  voice  and  pen.  We  think  it  safe  to  say 
that  no  one  has  kept  more  closely  to  the  "main  track" 
of  Adventism  than  Bro.  Sheldon  has,  since  his  relin- 
quishment of  whatever  Age-to-come-ism  he  had  been 
associated  with. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MARRIAGE.       REMOVAL    WEST. 


During  the  summer  of  1854,  Bro.  Sheldon  turned  his 
face  Westward,  and  took  a  trip  through  the  then  new 
country,  looking  over  that  field  to  see  what  prospects 
there  were  for  work,  and  for  securing  a  home.  Return- 
ing late  in  November^  he  spent  a  short  time  at  the  home 
of  his  parents  in  Chateaugay,  then  wended  his  way  on 
into  Massachusetts,  to  the  home  of  the  one  he  had 
chosen  to  share  with  him  his  future  life. 

With  Miss  Areli  M.  Stone,  of  Sturbridge,  Mass., 
fourth  daughter  of  Sylvanus  Stone  before  mentioned, 
he  drove  the  few  miles  between  Sturbridge  and  Wood- 
stock, Ct.,  to  the  home  of  Elder  R.  V.  Lyon,  where,  on 
the  thirteenth  day  of  December,  1854,  the  ceremony 
was  performed  by  Elder  Lyon  which  joined  their  lives 
"for  better  or, worse,"  and  "until  death"  should  them 
part.  He  was  in  his  twenty-fifth  year,  and  she  in  her 
nineteenth;  and  in  making  this  choice  of  a  life  compan- 
ion he  showed  rare  good  judgment,  and  it  proved  to  be 
the  best  step  for  himself  that  he  ever  took,  for  in  her 
he  found  a  companion  most  helpful,  able,  willing, 
faithful,  and  sympathetic. 

"Whoso  findeth  a  wife  findeth  a  good  thing,  and 
obtaineth  favor  of  the  Lord."  "A  prudent  wife  is  from 
the  Lord." 

47 


48  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

In  his  wife  Bro.  Sheldon  found  a  companion  who 
became  the  uncomplaining,  willing  partner  of  his  sor- 
rows as  well  as  of  his  joys.  She  left  a  home  of  comfort, 
left  father  and  mother,  brothers  and  sisters,  relatives 
and  friends,  and  went  with  him  into  a  wild,  almost  un- 
inhabited country,  to  aid  in  making  a  home  for  them- 
selves, and  in  carrying  the  message  of  redemption  to  a 
judgment-bound  people.  Together  they  shared  the  un- 
inviting life  of  a  pioneer  in  a  new  country,  starting  with 
nothing  but  their  hands  and  brains  to  do  with.  They 
did  not  commence  "where  their  parents  left  off,"  as  so 
many  young  people  now  think  they  must. 

Many  were  the  years  of  toil  and  privation,  mingled 
with  sorrows  and  joys,  until  they  secured  for  them- 
selves a  home  with  moderate  comforts.  Yet  through 
all  these  she  proved  herself  the  willing,  uncomplaining, 
devoted,  true  partner,  such  as  is  rarely  seen  under  sim- 
ilar conditions,  for  the  lot  of  an  Adventist  preacher's 
wife  was  then  peculiarly  trying.  And  when  it  came 
down  to  the  years  of  intense  physical  suffering  which  it 
became  his  lot  to  endure  for  seven  long  years,  never 
could  there  be  a  more  faithful,  patient,  willing  com- 
panion, helper  and  attendant  than  she  proved  herself 
to  be,  by  night  and  by  day.  Self  was  always  her  last 
consideration,  and  no  words  of  complaint  at  her  lot  were 
ever  heard  to  escape  her;  although  at  last  she  was  phys- 
ically entirely  worn  out,  yet  she  was  helped  to  continue 
her  ministrations  so  that  no  stranger  was  called  to  do 
what  had  to  be  done  for  her  husband,  and  which  would 
have  been  very  repugnant  to  him. 

In  Sister  Sheldon  Bro.  S.  found  one  who  was  in  per- 
fect sympathy  with  him  in  his  faith,  and  in  his  chosen 
life-work,  and  who  was  always  a  helper  and  not  a  hind- 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  49 

erer  in  his  ministry,  though  he  labored  in  an  unpopular 
cause,  and  she  with  him  was  in  consequence  subjected 
to  privations,  hardships,  and  the  lack  of  many  com- 
forts which  might  have  been  theirs  had  they  taken 
other  callings,  or  connected  with  a  more  popular  church. 
Not  every  man  is  blessed  with  such  a  wife. 

For  about  two  years  after  their  marriage  they  made 
their  home  mainly  at  Sturbridge,  from  which  point  he 
labored  constantly  in  New  England,  taking  his  wife 
with  him  on  some  of  his  trips.  During  this  time  their 
first  child,  a  daughter,  was  born,  but  she  lived  only  a 
week,  and  was  buried  in  Sturbridge. 

Together  they  spent  some  little  time  at  North  Adams, 
Mass.,  and  vicinity,  and  near  that  place  he  performed 
the  marriage  ceremony  for  Bro.  and  Sr.  Marshall 
McCulloch.  From  this  region  a  few  families  decided 
to  "go  West,"  and  settle,  and  Bro.  and  Sr.  Sheldon 
decided  to  turn  their  faces  Westward  also. 

After  farewell  visits  in  Massachusetts  and  New  York, 
they  took  passage,  in  early  spring  of  1856,  on  an  old 
lake  propeller  at  Ogdensburg,  N.  Y.,  on  the  St.  Law- 
rence river,  proceeding  upward  through  Lake  Ontario, 
"The  Locks,"  and  across  Lake  Erie,  as  far  as  Toledo, 
Ohio.  At  Toledo,  they  took  the  cars  to  Chicago,  111., 
then  crossed  the  state  of  Illinois  to  Dunleith  on  the 
Mississippi  river,  where  they  took  boat  passage  up  the 
river  to  Hastings,  Minnesota.  It  took  about  two  weeks 
to  make  this  journey,  travelling  then  not  being  so 
speedy  as  now. 

Their  Massachusetts  friends,  Calvin  and  Luther  Rice 
and  their  families,  and  their  sisters,  Mrs.  Duby  and  Mrs. 
Cook  and  their  families,  had  preceded  them  about  a 
month,  and  had  settled  in  Dakota  county,    Minn.,    in- 


50  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

tending  to  make  homes  for  themselves  in  that  new 
country.  Not  having  decided  where  it  was  best  to  lo- 
cate, Bro.  S.  left  his  wife  in  Hastings,  with  a  family  he 
had  known  some  years  before  in  York  State,  and  went 
on  a  prospecting  trip  of  some  two  hundred  miles,  on 
foot.  Returning,  they  decided  to  go  to  the  settlement 
made  by  their  friends,  the  Rices;  but  the  few  goods 
they  had  shipped  from  the  East  had  not  reached  their 
destination;  so  cloth  for  a  tent  was  procured,  and  they 
proceeded  to  the  township  of  Vermillion,  in  Dakota 
county,  near  to  a  point  afterwards  called  Castle  Rock 
on  account  of  a  prominent  rock  standing  there. 

Here  they  took  up  a  claim,  living  through  the  sum- 
mer in  a  tent,  and  sleeping  on  the  ground.  During 
the  summer  a  "claim  shanty"  was  built,  of  material 
brought  about  twenty  miles.  This  building  consisted 
of  one  room,  12x14,  with  one  door,  and  a  half  window; 
and  only  half  of  the  space  had  boards  for  a  floor.  Later, 
it  was  enlarged,  making  two  rooms,  in  which  were  two 
doors  and  four  windows. 

From  this  point  we  will  let  Bro.  S.  tell  of  his  exper- 
iences for  a  period  of  time,  in  his  own  words  and  style 
of  writing,  which  will  be  far  more  interesting  and  thril- 
ling than  we  could  possibly  make  it.  This  narrative  of 
experience  which  follows  was  written  by  him,  as  near 
as  we  can  estimate,  sometime  back  in  the  "seventies," 
probably  twenty-five,  or  more,  years  ago,  but  it  is 
nevertheless  just  as  interesting  as  it  would  be  had  he 
only  recently  penned  it.  The  reader  will  probably 
wish  with  us  that  he  had  dwelt  more  fully  on  details. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

'western  pioxeerixg  in  the  advent  cause.' 


"Pioneering  in  almost  any  cause  stands  associated 
with  hardship,  deprivation,  and  sacrifice,  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent ;  and  especially  is  this  true  in  an  unpopu- 
lar cause,  however  good  that  cause  may  be;  but  more 
especiall}'  has  this  fact  been  demonstrated  in  promul- 
gating the  Advent  doctrine  in  new  fields  throughout 
Christendom. 

"But  this  is  too  wide  a  field  to  survey  at  present, 
so  we  narrow  it  down  to  the  one  single  feature, — West- 
ern pioneering, — as  a  mere  sample  of  what  has  been 
done  in  many  cases,  and  as  an  exhibition  of  the  princi- 
ple put  forth  in  the  old  adage:  "Whatsoever  has  been 
done,  may  be  done.^' 

"To-day  we  gaze  upon  an  Advent  cause  in  the  West 
which  once  had  no  existence;  and  though  it  is  still 
small  compared  with  what  we  could  wish  to  see  it,  yet 
it  is  large  compared  with  what  it  once  was.  This  leads 
to  the  query:  Was  this  cause  originated  without  a 
struggle? — Far  from  it. 

"It  required  pioneering  interwoven  with  sacrifice, 
poverty,  privation  and  actual  suffering.  It  was 
planted  by  men  who  loved  the  truth  of  God  more  than 
salary.     They  could  not  be  deterred  from  their  work 

51 


UNIVERSOY  Of. 
MJJNOIS  UBRARM 


52  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

by  pinching  poverty,  nor  be  turned  aside  by  bitter  per- 
secution. Men  of  larger  salaries  and  smaller  brains 
tried  every  means  they  could  devise  to  hedge  up  their 
way;  but  still  they  kept  at  their  work,  nor  did  they 
work  in  vain, 

"Wind  and  tide  were  against  them,  but  they  man- 
fully struggled  against  all  opposing  elements  and 
planted  the  noble  flag  of  unpopular  truth  here  and 
there;  and  leaving  friends  to  defend  it,  they  passed  on 
to  plant  it  elsewhere. 

"To  illustrate  the  working  of  this  pioneer  principle, 
a  brief  outline  narrative  of  personal  experience  might 
serve  a  good  purpose,  if  it  were  not  liable  to  be  branded 
as  a  display  of  egotism  not  in  harmony  with  the  mod- 
esty that  should  characterize  a  minister  of  Christ.  And 
yet  I  cannot  better  convey  a  faint  conception  of 
pioneering  life  in  the  West,  than  by  an  outline  recital 
of  early  labors  in  the  midst  of  deprivations. 

"In  so  doing,  it  would  swell  the  narrative  to  too 
great  dimensions  to  relate  the  numerous  instances  in 
which  we  waded  the  deep  snows,  through  forests  and 
over  prairies  for  long  miles,  to  reach  appointments ; 
often  breaking  our  own  road  from  one  settlement  to 
another;  sometimes  with  the  thermometer  twenty 
degrees  below  zero,  freezing  us  on  the  trip;  sometimes 
receiving  less  than  a  dollar  in  money  for  a  hard  month's 
labor,  till  an  opening  was  made,  and  an  interest  estab- 
lished. Often  have  we  slept  by  our  lone  camp-fire  in 
the  woods, — minus  the  camp,  unless  we  could  call 
self  a  camp.  And  the  recollections  of  such  scenes 
are  sweet  to-day,  for  the  sacrifice  was  in  a  good  cause. 
But  we  proceed  more  definitely  to  give 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  53 

"an  outline  reminiscence. 

"In  the  spring  of  the  year  1856, 1  removed  from  the 
East  to  the  great  West,  first  locating  in  Minnesota 
Territory,  county  of  Dakota,  settling  in  a  townsliip 
then  called  Vermillion,  after  having  first  taken  an  ex- 
ploring trip  on  foot,  of  about  two  hundred  miles; 
preaching  as  the  way  opened,  in  private  houses.  This 
trip  on  foot  gave  me  a  fair  view  of  the  new  territory 
and  an  insight  into  the  sacrifices  that  must  be  made 
to  reach  the  destitute  people,  as  not  a  penny  was 
received  by  way  of  remuneration  for  services. 

"It  was  my  fortune  to  lose  my  way  in  trying  to 
follow  blind  footpaths  from  one  new  settlement  to 
another;  and  in  one  instance,  in  the  darkness  of  night? 
I  was  lost  while  in  the  midst  of  a  large  forest.  My 
path  became  so  obscure  that  it  could  be  traced  no 
further,  and  to  add  to  the  terror  of  the  situation,  I 
knew  that  the  forest  was  filled  with  hungry  wolves, 
and  other  wald  animals. 

"I  could  do  no  better  than  to  keep  on  my  course  as 
best  I  could  do  in  the  darkness,  hoping  to  strike  some 
settlement;  and  after  struggling  for  a  time  between 
hope  and  fear,  my  effort  was  rewarded  by  the  glimpse 
of  a  light  in  the  distance,  which  increased  in  magnitude 
as  I  cautiously  approached  it,  to  be  sure  that  it  was 
not  a  camp  of  Indians,  for  the  territory  was  then  filled 
with  them,  this  being  before  Minnesota  became  a 
state,  and  also  before  the  great  Indian  massacre. 

"The  fire,  however,  proved  to  be  the  burning  of 
several  log-heaps  on  a  white  man's  claim.  There,  at 
a  late  hour  of  the  night,  I  found  lodgings  of  a  humble 
nature;  and  there,  too,   I  tarried  several  days  and 


54  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

preached  the  word  free  of  charge  to  the  new  settlers, 
who  gathered  in  from  miles  around.  At  a  later  date 
a  church  was  raised  up  near  by. 

"On  my  way  I  passed  through  Minneapolis,  which 
was  then  a  little  place  with  less  than  a  dozen  buildings, 
but  which  has  since  become  a  large  city,  in  which,  at  a 
later  date,  I  preached  to  large  congregations,  and 
organized  a  church." 

(In  the  Voice  of  the  West,  of  February  19,  1867,  we 
find:  "Eld.  Wm.  Sheldon  closed  a  very  interesting 
series  of  meetings  in  Minneapolis.  A  church  was 
organized,  and  $500  pledged  to  secure  a  pastor.") 

"After  this  long  trip  of  exploring  and  preaching, 
going  on  foot  over  prairies  and  through  forests,  I  re- 
turned to  Hastings,  the  county  seat  of  Dakota  county, 
where  I  had  left  my  wife — for  I  had  no  children  at  that 
time — preparatory  to  going  to  our  new  home  in  Ver- 
million, about  twenty  miles  westward,  where  for  a 
while  we  lived  in  a  cloth  tent  and  slept  on  the  ground, 
having  brought  a  few  blankets  in  our  trunks  with  our 
clothing, — our  bedding  which  had  been  shipped  by 
freight  not  having  arrived;  and  to  make  the  matter 
worse,  it  never  came.  After  a  while  the  tent  was  ex- 
changed for  a  board  shanty,  12  by  14  feet. 

"At  that  time  there  was  no  schoolhouse  in  the 
settlement,  but  I  obtained  permission  to  preach  in 
the  private  houses  of  some  non-professors  in  different 
parts  of  the  settlement,  which  took  in  a  range  of  a 
dozen  miles  of  sparsely  settled  territory  eastward, 
sometimes  allowing  several  miles  between  neighbors. 
Our  congregations  were  good  in  spite  of  the  distance 
that  hearers  had  to  travel.  Even  in  my  own  little 
shanty  did  I  appoint  meetings,  many  being  obliged 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  55 

to  stand  up  on  the  outside;  and  here  too  I  organized 
a  Sunday-school. 

"I  borrowed  money  from  a  brother  in  the  flesh  to 
purchase  a  piece  of  new  land  at  $1.25  per  acre,  which 
at  a  later  date,  by  the  rise  in  property,  made  me  able 
to  procure  a  home  for  my  family. 

"Our  meetings  awakened  an  interest,  and  after  a 
while  I  organized  a  church  of  22  members  in  the  place. 
I  preached  every  Sunday,  and  wrought  week  days  as 
a  day-laborer  in  the  settlement,  except  what  little 
time  it  took  me  to  cultivate  a  little  patch  on  my  land. 
By  days  work  I  earned  our  bread  and  clothing,  and  on 
Sunday  I  fed  the  people  with  the  truth.  Being  the 
only  preacher  in  the  place  at  the  time,  I  was  called 
by  everybody,  'Elder,'  except  by  one  old  Dutchman 
who  wished  to  be  polite  and  respectful,  who  called  me, 
'Mr.  Elder.' 

"Winter  came,  and  by  that  time  a  school  district 
had  been  organized,  and  a  school-house  built.  It 
was  decided  that  the  'Elder'  must  teach  the  school. 
The  school  was  accordingly  commenced,  and  soon 
after  the  meetings  were  removed  to  the  school-house. 
In  a  short  time  we  began  a  protracted  meeting  there, 
holding  the  meetings  evenings  and  Sundays,  while  the 
school  continued  in  the  daytime.  A  revival  followed 
— heads  of  families  were  converted,  and  also  the  oldest 
of  the  scholars.     Thus  passed  the  first  year. 

"Our  market  meanwhile  was  about  twenty  miles  away 
— the  unfenced  road  leading  to  it  being  over  a  large 
prairie,  from  which  many  paths  diverged  to  other  new 
settlements  —  and  to  this  market  place  I  often  went 
on  foot  for  necessary  supplies,  sometimes  getting  lost. 
One  instance  of  this  kind  I  shall  never  forget.     Having 


56  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

put  my  supplies  into  a  bag,  which  I  slung  over  my 
shoulder,  I  started  for  home.  When  about  six  miles 
on  my  homeward  way  a  very  severe  snow-storm  came 
on  obscuring  the  faint  path. 

"The  wind  blew  furiously,  and  it  rapidly  grew 
colder;  and  to  add  to  the  difficulty,  night  came  on,  and 
darkness  surrounded  me  while  several  miles  away 
from  home.  I  lost  the  path,  but  tried  to  keep  on  in 
the  right  direction,  while  the  wolves  howled  over  the 
prairie,  and  the  drifting  snow  impeded  my  progress. 
It  seemed  difficult  to  stand  it  much  longer,  but, wearied 
and  cold,  I  plodded  slowly  onward  in  the  darkness, 
through  snow  about  two  feet  deep. 

"  Not  a  house,  or  a  light,  could  I  see,  still  I  felt  sure 
I  had  kept  in  the  right  direction.  At  the  point  of 
perishing,  being  blinded  by  the  snow  that  was  being 
blown  furiously  into  my  face,  I  stumbled  over  a  log — 
a  strange  thing  to  encounter  on  a  prairie, — which  made 
me  look  around  sharply,  when  about  a  rod  off  I  dis- 
covered a  log  house.  At  first  I  mistook  it  for  a  vacated 
tenement  that  was  situated  about  half  a  mile  off  the 
unfenced  road,  and  about  two  miles  from  my  home. 

"Thinking  that  if  I  had  thus  strayed  half  a  mile  out 
of  my  course,  and  was  still  two  miles  from  home,  and 
all  exhausted,  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  reach 
it  that  night  in  the  darkness  and  deep  snow;  the 
thought  entered  my  mind  that  I  had  better  go  into 
that  shanty,  and  there,  out  of  the  wind,  whip  myself, 
and  stamp  my  feet  to  keep  a  circulation  of  blood  to 
prevent  freezing,  until  daylight  should  come. 

"With  this  thought  in  my  mind,  I  approached  the 
house,  when,  lo,  I  found  it  was  the  house  of  a  neighbor 
living  a  mile  west  of  my  home;  I  having  passed  about 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  57 

half  a  mile  north  of  my  own  place,  being  unable  to  see 
it  for  the  darkness  and  the  driving  snow.  And  more 
than  all,  this  was  the  last  house  in  the  settlement  in 
that  direction ;  and  if  I  had  not  stumbled  upon  that 
block  of  wood,  I  should  have  passed  it  without  seeing 
it,  and  might  have  been  eaten  by  wolves  before  morn- 
ing. This  is  but  one  instance  out  of  many  similar 
ones." 


CHAPTER  X. 

WESTERN      PIONEERING      IN      THE      ADVENT      CAUSE: — 
CONTINUED. 


We  here  break  in  on  the  narrative  long  enough  to 
give  the  reader  the  outcome  of  that  terrible  night's 
experience,  for  it  is  deeply  interesting,  and  the  account 
is  incomplete  without  it.  His  wife  related  it  to  one 
from  whom  we  now  give  the  substance  of  some  ad- 
ditional details. 

It  happened  that  the  woman  of  that  house  was 
alone  that  night  with  her  children,  her  husband  being 
away;  but  she  gave  him  something  to  eat  and  some 
warm  drink,  and  after  warming  himself  and  resting  a 
little,  he  again  started  out  in  the  darkness  and  blizzard, 
to  go  across  the  prairie  to  his  home. 

Between  that  log-house  and  his  place,  and  some 
twenty  rods  from  the  corner  of  his  land,  Calvin  Rice 
had  fenced  in  about  four  acres,  within  which  was  built 
his  house.  He  aimed  for  this  fence,  and  by  mere 
chance  (or  providence  rather)  he  touched  the  very 
corner  of  the  fence  furthest  away  from  the  Rice 
house  and  from  his  home.  Had  his  steps  carried  him 
but  a  very  few  feet  out  of  the  path  he  did  take,  he 
would  have  missed  that  corner,  for  it  was  impossible 
to  see  it ;  and  he  would  have  wandered  on,  and  probably 
would  have  perished.  (So  near  home,  and  yet  1-o-s-t! 
What  a  sad  fate !     May  God  grant  that  the  reader  who 

58 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  59 

is  "homeward  bound"  and  "almost  there,"  may  not 
be  turned  aside  one  little  step  from  the  right  pathway; 
or  by  one  little  sin — if  there  be  any  such  sins — be  led 
out  of  the  narrow  way  at  this  important  period  of  our 
homeward  journe}^,  and  be  1-o-s-t  in  consequence. 
Let  us  look  well  to  our  lives,  and  keep  close  to  the 
Master's  footsteps,  with  the  "lamp  to  our  feet,"  that 
we  may  not  be  lost  just  in  sight  of  home.) 

Following  the  fence  around  to  the  proper  point,  he 
got  his  direction  again,  and  aimed  for  his  own  house 
some  twenty  rods  away,  but  which  he  could  not  see, 
even  though  there  was  a  light  burning  in  the  window, 
placed  there  as  a  guide  to  him  should  he  return  that 
night. 

(Between  the  two  places  there  lay  a  slough  (slew), 
which  was  afterwards  dug  out  by  him  and  some 
brethren,  and  steps  placed  so  as  to  be  able  to  step 
do\Mi  into  the  water  which  collected  there,  and  this 
was  used  as  a  baptistry ;  that  being  the  best  they  could 
do  without  going  many  miles  to  running  water.  Several 
baptisms  were  afterward  held  there.) 

This  being  frozen  he  crossed  this  slough,  and  was 
fortunate  enough  to  run  against  his  own  house.  It  was 
a  late  hour  and  his  wife  had  retired,  but  not  to  sleep. 
She  hoped  he  had  taken  shelter  in  some  place  on  the 
way,  but  was  uneasy,  fearing  he  might  be  lost  in  the 
raging  storm. 

She  quickly  arose  at  his  knock  and  let  him  in,  to  find 
him  in  a  deplorable  condition.  His  clothes,  for  more 
than  two  feet  up,  were  packed  with  the  snow  through 
which  he  had  tramped,  and  which  had  melted  and 
frozen  encasing  his  limbs  with  ice.  It  was  impossible 
to  remove  his  clothing  until  this  could  be  melted.     He 


60  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

extended  his  limbs  over  the  stove,  and  by  degrees  this 
ice  was  melted,  and  removed  piece  by  piece  by  his 
wife,  who  worked  thus  for  two  hours  before  getting 
enough  removed  to  make  it  possible  for  him  to  re- 
move his  clothing  and  get  into  bed.  The  ice  melting 
thus  gradually  probably  served  a  good  purpose, 
drawing  the  frost  from  his  limbs  by  degrees,  and 
saving  him  from  very  serious  after  results. 

How  can  we  help  but  feel  and  believe  that  an  over- 
ruling hand  directed  his  steps  to  safety  that  night,  that 
he  might  live  a  life  of  usefulness  in  the  cause,  for  many 
years  to  come? 

We  will  let  Bro.  S.  resume  his  narrative  at  this  point. 

"From  this  home  I  began  to  branch  out  into  the 
surrounding  regions,  to  preach  the  gospel  in  new 
fields  of  labor.  Many  were  the  long  tramps  taken  on 
foot  during  the  next  four  years,  sometimes  wading 
rivers  with  my  pants  rolled  up  and  my  shoes  in  my 
hand,  and  carrying  a  package  of  tracts  to  scatter; 
frequently  taking  trips  of  over  a  hundred  miles  into 
Iowa  and  Wisconsin,  planting  the  truth  in  new  fields, 
and  organizing  churches  and  conferences.  In  one 
instance  as  a  sample,  travelling  sixty-five  miles  on  foot 
through  the  "big  woods,"  then  having  to  stand  on 
blistered  and  sore  feet  while  preaching,  and  having 
learned  how  to  sleep  out  doors  in  the  woods  on  the 
route. 

"If  in  some  instances  we  received  five  dollars  for 
two  or  three  weeks'  labor,  we  felt  that  it  was  a  godsend; 
but  we  principally  relied  on  manual  labor  for  support, 
and  preached  abroad  when  the  hurrying  season  was 
past.  Haying  and  harvesting  brought  the  largest 
wages,  and  we  worked  faithfully  w^ith  our  hands  then 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  Gl 

to  get  funds  to  live  on;  then  we  devoted  our  time  to 
meetings:  at  all  times  employing  our  spare  moments 
and  fragments  of  time  in  reading  and  study. 

"To  give  a  history  of  the  fields  broken  would  take 
too  long.  But  plenty  of  preaching,  and  a  scarcity  of 
pecuniary  aid,  characterized  the  work  in  the  main. 
We  lived  in  a  scrimping  way,  in  order  to  have  funds  to 
spread  the  truth.  Had  we  waited  for  a  living  salary, 
darkness  would  to-day  have  prevailed  where  the  light 
of  truth  is  shining. 

"When  we  came  West,  knowing  that  Minnesota, 
Iowa,  and  Wisconsin,  were  comparatively  new  fields, 
it  was  our  aim  to  make  those  states  our  main  mission- 
ary field.  In  these  three  states  we  early  organized 
churches  and  conferences.  In  spite  of  some  disastrous 
conditions  since  experienced,  the  work  has  assumed 
conspicuous  dimensions;  and  where  we  had  at  first 
only  two  small  churches,  and  three  ministers,  we  now 
have  over  a  hundred  churches  and  over  a  hundred 
ministers.  The  work  of  organization,  combining  these 
three  states  into  one  conference  took  place  while  we 
were  still  in  Minnesota.  In  after  years,  when  the  work 
had  enlarged,  a  separation  was  made  by  mutual  con- 
sent. 

"In  1860  we  moved  from  Minnesota  into  Wisconsin, 
settling  first  in  Badax  county  (now  Vernon  Co.); 
afterward  in  Sauk  county,  and  still  later  in  Green 
county.  On  my  removal,  arrangements  were  made 
to  preach  one  quarter  of  the  time  at  home,  and  the 
other  three  weeks  of  each  month  were  devoted  to 
opening  new  territory,  and  holding  protracted  meetings. 

"At  first  I  established  a  circuitous  route  of  about 
one  hundred  and  forty  miles,  to  be  gone  over  in  each 


62  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

period  of  three  weeks;  on  which  line  I  finally  opened 
fifteen  different  preaching  places;  and  for  a  while  this 
route  was  travelled  regularly  on  foot.  Subsequently 
we  were  enabled  to  purchase  a  horse  for  the  sum  of 
thirty  dollars,  and  borrowed  a  saddle — for  we  had  not 
much  funds,  not  having  then  sold  our  land  in  Minne- 
sota, there  being  no  sale  for  it  at  that  time.  At  a 
later  date  we  obtained  a  single  wagon  for  forty-seven 
dollars.  Both  horse  and  wagon  were  literally  worn 
out  in  the  cause." 

(Just  here  the  copyist  cannot  help  saying:  What 
of  the  man?  There  is  little  doubt  that  Bro.  Sheldon's 
early  efforts  and  exposures  had  to  do  with  his  years 
of  severe  suffering  at  the  last,  and  probably  shortened 
his  days.) 

"With  that  horse  and  wagon  many  new  places 
were  visited.  Many  are  the  times  that  I  have  slept 
under  that  wagon,  in  the  woods,  and  on  the  prairies, 
while  the  horse  was  eating  his  pail  of  oats  near  by; 
and  sometimes  we  have  been  driven  out  by  wild  beasts 
in  the  dead  of  night,  and  sometimes  disturbed  by 
rain, — often  being  wet  through  and  through.  All 
alone  I  have  gone  through  this  experience  time  and 
again,  to  carry  the  gospel  where  I  was  not  able  to  carry 
it  otherwise. 

"By  sacrifice  the  truth  has  been  planted  where 
otherwise  it  would  not  have  gone.  Churches,  too, 
have  thus  been  raised  up,  where  there  would  have 
been  none,  had  we  pioneers  waited  for  a  liberal  salary 
before  we  commenced  our  work;  and  ministers  have 
also  been  enlisted  to  help,  and  started  out  in  this  cause, 

"The  truth  was  meanwhile  defended  against  assault, 
by  entering  the  field  as  a  debater,  meeting  in  open  dis- 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  63 

cussion  our  strongest  opposers  in  every  direction — 
perhaps  sleeping  under  the  wagon  on  the  way  to  the 
debate — till  boastful  Goliaths  grew  shy,  and  less  defiant. 

"Finally  a  tent  was  procured  as  a  help  to  introduce 
the  truth  into  new  places  in  the  summer  season.  This 
has  accomplished  much  good,  but  is  a  severe  strain 
on  the  constitution.  Meanwhile  preachers  of  the 
truth  have  multiplied,  and  the  work  must  now  be  left 
largely  in  their  hands.  Failing  health  keeps  us  now 
comparatively  inactive  in  the  line  of  physical  exertion, 
while  otherwise  we  would  gladly  work  as  in  earlier 
years.  New  territory  on  every  hand  remains  to  be 
opened,  and  can  be  opened  and  cultivated.  If  what 
has  been  done  in  the  past  can  again  be  done  in  the 
future,  surely  a  proper  amount  of  pioneering  might 
yet  open  up  new  fields  all  over  this  great  West. 

"Although  failing  strength  now  restricts  us  in  our 
labors,  we  do  not  regret  the  toil  that  has  worn  us  out, 
only  regretting  that  we  could  not  have  done  more. 
Little  as  it  has  been,  we  can  look  back  upon  it  with  a 
degree  of  satisfaction,  when  we  remember  that  over 
thirty  western  ministers  claim  to  have  been  brought 
into  the  faith  through  our  humble  efforts;  and  when 
we  call  to  mind  the  many  churches  that  have  also  been 
raised  up  under  our  ministration,  many  members  of 
which  have  already  died  in  the  faith,  and  are  awaiting 
the  resurrection  of  the  just. 

"When  in  the  vigor  of  health,  it  was  nothing  rare 
to  preach  from  nine  to  twelve  sermons  per  week,  and 
to  follow  the  practice. 

"  As  a  part  of  my  western  work,  I  have — (he  is  writing 
this  some  time  in  the  70's) — issued  about  thirty 
different  tracts  and  books,  the  circulation  of  which 


64  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

has  not  been  confined  to  the  West — they  have  been 
scattered  to  the  four  winds — but  their  preparation  has 
been  Western  work, 

"In  later  years  our  work  has  been  somewhat  gen- 
eralized among  different  states ;  including  several  tours 
to  Southern  states  such  as  Missouri,  Tennessee, 
Georgia,  Alabama,  and  South  Carolina;  and  as  the 
result  of  labor  there  bestowed,  several  ministers  are 
there  to-day  proclaiming  the  gospel  of  the  Kingdom. 
To  that  field  we  have  also  sent  hundreds  of  publica- 
tions, which  have  brought  many  into  the  truth.  In 
this  line  of  general  work  there  may  be  included  our 
years  of  editorial  work  on  our  papers.  All  combined 
have  helped  to  make  an  active  life,  and  it  is  hoped  not 
altogether  a  fruitless  one. 

"So  much  as  an  outline — details  have  not  generally 
been  given,  as  they  would  have  swelled  this  narrative 
to  too  great  dimensions.  The  door  is  still  open  for 
pioneers.  But  lest  I  be  misunderstood,  let  me  say 
that  no  church  is  justified  in  seeking  to  get  its  preach- 
ing free,  although  pioneers  have  preached  free  in  new 
fields.  Where  churches  exist,  the  gospel  rule  should 
be  observed  —  They  that  preach  the  gospel  should 
live  of  the  gospel;'  but  where  there  are  no  churches 
there  is  a  work  for  pioneers.  A  wide  spread  new  field 
even  now  surrounds  us,  awaiting  laborers. 

'  Ho,  reapers  of  life's  harvest, 

Why  stand  with  rusted  blade? ' 

"As  of  yore,  'the  harvest  truly  is  great,  but  the 
laborers  are  few.'  Let  us  work  while  the  day  lasts — 
not  for  money,  not  for  popularity,  not  for  salary,  not 
for  sensation,  but  for  solid  good,  in  proclaiming  the 
undiluted  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom." 


CHAPTER    XI. 

LENGTHENING    THE    CORDS. 


During  his  residence  in  Minnesota,  one  of  the  numer- 
ous places  visited  by  Bro.  Sheldon  was  Strawberry- 
Point,  Iowa,  and  here  he  succeeded  in  forming  an 
organisation  of  believers.  Elders  S.  D.  Deyo  and 
P.  S.  W.  Deyo,  father  and  son,  resided  here  and  later 
both  of  them  did  much  faithful  work  for  our  cause, 
in  Iowa  and  elsewhere. 

In  1857,  Bro.  Sheldon  made  a  trip  from  his  home  in 
Minnesota  to  Strawberry  Point,  on  foot.  Here  he, 
and  the  Brethren  Deyo  organized  the  first  Conference 
of  Advent  believers  in  the  territory  now  embraced  in 
the  states  of  Iowa,  ]\Iinnesota,  and  Wisconsin.  At 
that  time  three  ministers,  and  two  small  churches: 
Vermillion,  Minn.,  and  Strawberry  Point,  Iowa, 
banded  themselves  together  for  mutual  benefit  and 
strength,  and  from  this  small  beginning  a  work  was 
started  which  has  far  outgrown  its  modest  origin. 

Other  ministers  came  into  the  bounds  of  the  Con- 
ference, and  still  others  were  raised  up  in  it.  Churches 
were  organized  of  converts  made  by  their  efforts,  and 
joined  the  Conference,  and  the  Word  of  truth  was 
carried  to  many  other  places  in  those  states,  for  mission- 
ary work  was  faithfully  carried  on  by  all;  and  the 
truth  took  deep  root  in  their  hearts,  and  large  numbers 

65 


66  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

were  converted  and  their  lives  brought  into  harmony 
with  God.  As  was  once  said  of  the  Methodists,  it 
might  have  been  said  of  the  Adventists  then  in  the 
new  West:  "they  were  all  at  it,  and  always  at  it";  for 
the  faith  of  the  Lord's  coming,  as  near,  impelled  them 
to  work  as  they  could,  and  what  they  could,  while  it 
was  yet  day. 

Among  those  who  labored  within  this  Conference 
during  the  few  years  of  its  existence,  were  such  min- 
isters as  George  W.  Turner, — who  was  ordained  in  1859, 
by  Brn.  Sheldon  and  Deyo,—  G.  L.  Teeple,  G.  W. 
Barnes,  Moses  Chandler,  S.  K.  Gibson,  P.  W.  Hough, 
and  others.  The  territory  embraced  in  the  Confer- 
ence bounds  was  large,  and  as  the  work  grew  it  became 
a  matter  of  convenience  to  divide  the  territory,  on  ac- 
count of  distance  and  the  expense  of  travelling.  So 
by  mutual  consent  three  State  Conferences  were  formed 
in  1862.  "So  mightily  grew  the  word  of  God  and  pre- 
vailed;" and  out  of  the  vast  wilderness  there  arose 
many  who  embraced  the  preached  Word  and  accepted 
salvation's  offer. 

Moving  to  Wisconsin  in  1860,  Bro.  Sheldon  made 
his  home  for  two  years  at  Springville,  from  which  place 
he  worked  in  all  directions.  Sparta,  Viroqua,  Ironton, 
La  Valle,  Baraboo,  Merrimac,  Reedsburg,  Portage, 
Prairie-Du-Sac,  and  many  other  places  were  visited 
by  him.  Revivals  followed  his  labors;  and  churches 
were  organized,  and  ministers  were  started  in  the 
gospel  work. 

As  illustrative  of  the  conditions  existing  then,  it  will 
be  profitable  to  insert  here  some  "Reminiscences  of 
William  Sheldon,"  written  by  our  aged  brother:  Elder 
Geo.  W.  Turner,  now  of  Springfield,  Ohio;  who  was  an 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  67 

early  co-laborer  with  Bro.  Sheldon  in  this  Wisconsin 
field,  and  is  a  faithful  and  useful  servant  in  our  cause. 

REPRINT   FROM    ''oUR    HOPE,''    MAR.   19,  '02,  p.  9. 

"Bro.  Sheldon  came  from  Minnesota  to  Wisconsin 
about  1860,  and  located  at  Springville.  Soon  after 
this  he  heard  of  us  and  came  to  our  house.  I  had  then 
been  at  Ironton,  Wis.,  about  two  years,  doing  what  I 
could  to  hold  up  the  truth  of  God's  Word.  When 
Bro,  Sheldon  came  to  us  I  had  heard  of  only  two 
Adventists  in  that  part  of  the  state,  one  an  old  'broad- 
ax  preacher,'  as  he  got  to  be  called,  near  Baraboo, 
and  a  lay  brother  living  on  Sauk  Prairie.  Father 
Barnes  had  been  up  there  two  or  three  times  before 
Bro.  Sheldon  came.  At  Ironton  was  the  hardest 
battle  for  truth  in  this  part  of  the  state,  and  from  there 
went  out  the  truth  in  every  direction,  Bro.  Sheldon 
got  to  coming  regularly,  on  his  way  to  Baraboo  and 
Sauk,  and  always  gave  us  a  meeting.  Ironton  was  a 
new  place,  and  a  little  strife  arose  among  the  different 
denominations.  We  had  some  lively  times,  and  a 
great  many  were  baptized.  I  will  mention  one  amus- 
ing incident  that  now  comes  to  mind.  The  Wesleyans 
had  an  odd,  very  uncouth  brother,  whose  name  we 
will  not  mention.  He  was  very  ignorant,  even  in  the 
Scriptures,  but  was  a  sort  of  local  preacher  up  in  the 
woods  where  he  lived,  and  would  do  to  amuse  the 
people  and  keep  a  better  man  out  of  the  schoolhouse, 
which  was  then  the  only  place  for  all  religious  meetings, 
and  so  they  put  him  forward.  One  evening,  some  way 
or  other,  his  appointment  clashed  with  ours,  and  Bro. 
Sheldon  was  to  be  there.  We  decided  to  give  way  to 
the  Wesleyan,  and  I  was  to  speak  after  him.     Well, 


68  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

he  started  in  and  amused  the  people  greatly  by  trying 
to  make  fun  of  Bro.  Sheldon,  who  in  his  last  appoint- 
ment had  referred  to  the  original  words  in  Scripture 
which  are  translated  'soul/  'spirit/  etc.  Other 
ministers  present  joined  in  the  f unmaking,  but  finally 
they  got  through.  The  house  was  jammed  full,  and 
as  they  stepped  out  of  the  desk  without  closing,  Bro. 
Sheldon  stepped  in  and  said:  'I  hope  that  while  we 
continue  the  meeting  for  a  short  time  we  shall  remem- 
ber that  we  are  not  at  a  circus,  neither  is  your  speaker 
a  clown  to  be  laughed  at.'  Nothing  more  was  said, 
or  needed,  on  that  subject.  The  old  man  was  so  taken 
down  that  he  stuck  to  it  that  Bro.  Sheldon  had  called 
him  a  clown. 

"At  that  time  Bro.  Sheldon  had  no  horse.  I  think 
he  came  to  our  house  at  first  on  foot.  We  soon  went 
around  with  a  subscription  and  got  him  his  faithful 
'  Toby '  and  then  for  a  time  he  rode  horseback.  When 
spring  came,  brethren  at  Springville  got  him  a  buggy, 
and  then  he  could  bring  his  wife  and  daughter  Jennie, 
who  was  then  quite  small.  I  think  old  Father  Barnes, 
Bro.  Sheldon  and  myself  went  three  times  through 
the  woods  to  the  ^lississippi  river,  over  very  bad  roads, 
and  when  we  could  hardly  find  a  house  where  we  could 
stay  over  night.  One  night  we  stayed  in  the  woods 
and  slept  under  our  wagon,  but  we  met  old  Father 
Deyo  and  organized  the  Wisconsin,  Iowa  and  Minne- 
sota Conference,  at  Strawberry  Point,  where  Bro. 
Deyo  then  lived  and  had  a  little  company  of  believers. 
Finally  we  found  a  very  kind  family,  with  a  small 
house  but  large  Christian  hearts,  near  by  a  school- 
house  where  we  could  have  meetings  when  we  stopped 
over  night.     There  was  but  one  room  in  the  house. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  69 

with  a  fireplace  on  one  side,  and  when  strangers  went 
to  bed  the  women  stepped  out  doors  for  a  few  minutes. 
The  family  were  Disciples  in  faith,  and  one  night  as 
we  were  on  our  way  back,  Bro.  Barnes  was  to  preach, 
and  it  happened  they  had  their  minister  there  to  meet 
us.  As  Bro.  Sheldon  used  to  say,  when  Father  Barnes 
got  a  good  chance  he  would  preach  two  sermons  in  one. 
He  did  so  here,  and  then  talked  to  the  man  a  good  part 
of  the  night  after  he  got  to  bed. 

"On  these  trips  Bro.  Sheldon  used  to  call  me  the 
doctor,  as  I  was  a  little  more  inquisitive  than  the 
others  in  asking  about  the  sick  and  prescribing  for 
them.  At  that  time  and  for  years  after,  when  I 
traveled  alone  through  that  country,  as  I  did  much, 
to  look  after  our  cause  in  different  parts,  the  people 
would  hardly  ever  make  any  charge  to  ministers.  How 
we  did  enjoy  seeing  them  search  for  Bible  truth! 
Bro.  Sheldon  was  always  the  one  to  settle  all  knotty 
questions,  and  although  he  was  not  very  social  as  a 
visitor,  he  was  a  mighty  man  in  the  Scriptures.  One 
of  our  neighbors  at  Ironton  used  to  say  that  when  they 
made  a  preacher  of  Sheldon  they  "spoiled  a  mighty 
good  lawyer."  When  he  wrote  his  little  tract  called 
"Ghostology,"  it  was  so  sharp  that  some  thought  it 
did  more  hurt  than  good,  but  I  always  thought  it  filled 
its  place  and  set  some  to  thinking  who  would  not  be 
touched  by  anything  milder.  Bro.  Sheldon  had  an 
iron  will,  to  do  and  teach  whatever  he  thought  was 
right,  and  nothing  could  turn  him  from  his  purpose. 
Sr.  Sheldon  ought  to  have  great  praise  for  taking  as 
she  has  her  end  of  the  j^oke,  and  bearing  what  she  has 
borne  for  the  cause  of  Christ.  May  the  time  speedily 
come  when  our  Lord  will  gather  his  jewels  and  reward 
his  faithful." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A   FIGHTING   RECORD. 


During  the  years  of  his  earher  labors  Bro.  Sheldon 
was  often  engaged  in  debate  with  men  of  different  relig- 
ious denominations,  and  with  IMormons,  Spiritualists 
etcetera,  on  different  themes  and  points  of  doctrine,  but 
probably  more  frequently  on  questions  relating  to  the 
Nature  of  Man  than  on  any  others.  Their  views  of 
man's  nature,  and  of  points  inseparably  connected  there- 
with, form  distinctive  features  of  the  faith  of  the  Ad- 
vent people ;  and  these  views  were,  and  are,  greatly 
opposed  by  all  classes  who  hold  in  common  the  natural 
immortality  of  the  soul.  Hence  "orthodox,"  Spirit- 
ualists, Mormons,  and  others,  can  unite  in  opposing, 
misrepresenting,  and  persecuting  those  who  deny  this 
daring  dogma. 

Many  were  the  public  discussions  in  which  Bro.  S. 
was  a  principal.  We  remember  hearing  him  state, 
quite  a  number  of  years  ago,  that  so  far  as  he  knew, 
with  the  exception  of  Eld.  Miles  Grant,  he  had  then  held 
more  public  debates  than  any  one  of  our  ministers.  If 
we  remember  correctly,  the  number  up  to  that  time 
was  over  forty.  But  that  kind  of  work  proved  too 
great  a  strain  on  his  nervous  system,  and  for  many 
years,  latterly,  he  was  compelled  to  give  it  up. 

The  same  year  of  his  removal  to  Spring ville,  Wis,, 
70 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  71 

he  was  brought  into  a  debate  with  Elder  Brooks,  a 
prominent  ''Christian"  minister,  on  the  immortality 
question.  The  debate  was  reported  for  the  North- 
Western  Times,  a  local  paper  published  at  Viroqua, 
Wis.,  from  which  we  select  a  few  items,  ^\Titten  by  one 
who  says:  "We  admit  that  our  early  training,  our  ma- 
ture reflection,  and  our  life-long  prejudices,  are  all 
against  the  doctrines  advocated  by  Elder  Sheldon;  and 
we  felt  sorry  when  we  saw  him  struggling  like  a  giant 
in  debate,  that  his  efforts  had  not  a  higher  and  nobler 
aim  than  the  maintainance  of  a  theory  which  from 
Scripture,  reason,  and  analogy,  appears  to  us  to  be  at 
war  with  the  whole  economy  of  God's  moral  govern- 
ment. But  this  doctrine  is  preached ;  it  has  many  be- 
lievers, and  the  number  of  believers  is  rapidly  increas- 
ing. Their  books  are  broadcast  over  the  land.  Prob- 
ably the  doctrine  will  never  be  so  triumphantly  refuted 
as  to  drive  it  out  of  existence. 

"While  Eld.  Brooks,  either  presuming  on  the  ignor- 
ance of  his  audience,  or  through  mistake,  made  asser- 
tions which  facts  would  not  justify;  we  found  nothing 
to  condemn  in  Sheldon  in  this  respect. 

"We  listened  carefully  to  the  discussion  of  the  first 
proposition,  and  at  its  close  were  forced  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  Eld.  Sheldon  had  shown  more  skill,  and 
greater  argumentative  power  than  his  opponent;  but 
we  were  unconvinced  still  of  the  truth  of  the  proposi- 
tion." 

Doubtless  that  reporter  would  have  been  glad  to  have 
seen  him  using  his  strength  as  a  debater  in  the  defense 
of  Satan's  lie  (Gen.  3:  4),  and  probably  he  would  have 
lauded  him  more  highly  had  he  advocated  his  view 
of  the  question.     But  we  are  almost  led  to  enquire  if 


72  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

he  did  not  speak  prophetically  when  he  said :  "  Prob- 
ably the  doctrine  will  never  be  so  triumphantly  refuted 
as  to  drive  it  out  of  existence."  What  would  he  say 
to-day? 

Homer  A.  King,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  writes: 

"During  the  war  of  the  sixties,  I  arranged  by  cor- 
respondence with  Bro.  Sheldon  to  participate  in  a  de- 
bate with  an  able  disputant  called  'The  Great- Ax.' 
The  debate  was  held  in  a  grove  in  Victoria  township, 
Knox  Co.,  Illinois,  on  Wednesday  and  Thursday,  and 
was  largely  attended.  He  continued  the  meetings  over 
Sunday,  when  the  extensive  grove  was  full  of  people. 
The  results  were  very  satisfactory. 

"Wishing  to  report  the  discussion  in  The  Bride  of 
His  Palace  [ — a  book  written  by  Bro.  King],  then  near- 
ing  completion,  I  wrote  Bro.  S.  about  a  year  before  his 
death,  and  he  answered  the  questions  in  articles;  thus 
enabling  me  to  express  (in  the  book)  his  views  mostly 
in  his  own  words." 

At  that  time  Bro.  King  wrote:  "We  remember  your 
masterly  arguments  in  the  public  discussion  with 
'Great- Ax,'  in  the  grove  near  Victoria,  111.,  many  years 
ago.  Though  I  seated  the  grove  and  made  all  arrange- 
ments, I  have  forgotten  your  opponent's  name,  remem- 
bering only  his  no7n  de  'plume,  'Great- Ax.'" 

(The  articles  with  the  arguments  above  referred  to 
appeared  in  The  Crisis.) 

While  Bro.  S.  was  on  his  way  to  the  above  men- 
tioned debate  he  got  into  conversation  with  a  fellow- 
traveler  who  incidentally  learned  that  Bro.  S.  was  about 
to  debate  with  "Great- Ax."  The  gentleman  inquired 
if  he  knew  the  man  he  was  to  meet.  He  replied  that 
he  knew  nothing  at  all  about  the  man;  he  had  been  sent 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  73 

for  to  meet  him  in  debate,  but  knew  nothing  of  him. 
The  gentleman  said  he  knew  him  well,  and  described 
him  as  being  the  most  able  debater  in  the  country,  but 
as  also  a  most  abusive  man.  He  characterized  him  as 
"a  lion"  who  would  have  "no  mercy  on  his  prey."  In 
fact,  he  had  always  got  the  better  of  every  opponent  by 
abuse,  rather  than  argument. 

With  this  information  in  mind,  Bro.  S.  was  on  his 
guard.  When  "Great- Ax"  failed  in  argument,  he 
would  resort  to  abuse  and  ridicule;  to  which  Bro.  S. 
made  no  retort,  nor  lost  his  self-control,  but  attended 
strictly  to  his  argument.  This  ruffled  the  other,  who 
became  more  abusive. 

It  so  happened  that  the  closing  argument  fell  to  Bro, 
S.  In  this,  he  referred  to  the  conversation  with  the 
gentleman,  on  his  way  to  the  debate,  and  told  the  peo- 
ple he  had  prepared  himself  to  meet  a  "lion,"  but  he 
had  met  only  a  "cur."  This  was  the  only  cutting  re- 
tort he  resorted  to  in  that  debate;  and,  in  the  face  of 
the  abuse  he  had  been  subjected  to,  it  had  a  telling 
effect. 

Bro.  D.  A.  Dickinson,  now  of  California,  writes  of 
another  debate,  held  in  Cascade,  Iowa,  in  1863  or  1864. 
The  opponent  was  a  Christian  (Campbellite)  preacher, 
and  proposed  at  the  latter  part  of  the  third  day  of  the 
discussion  to  turn  the  debate  into  exhortation  for  sin- 
ners to  come  to  Christ.  "With  all  my  heart,"  said 
Bro.  Sheldon;  and  so  ended  that  battle. 

Says  Bro.  Dickinson:  "We  found  that  the  cause  of 
truth  did  not  suffer  on  account  of  that  debate;  and  we 
always  felt  a  great  love  and  regard  for  Bro,  Sheldon  for 
the  uplift  he  gave  us  at  that  time." 

Another  discussion  was  held  at  Sparta,  Wis.,  April 


74  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

3,  1867,  and  was  at  the  time  reported  in  The  Voice  of 
the  West,  by  G.  W.  Turner.  It  "  continued  through  four 
sessions  of  four  hours  each,  with  eight  30-minute 
speeches  in  each  session.  The  first  question,  occupying 
one-half  of  the  time,  was : 

Resolved,  That  the  Scriptures  teach  that  man  is  con- 
scious in  the  intermediate  state,  and  that  the  soul  is 
immortal. 

Second  question: 

Resolved,  That  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  future 

punishment  of  the  finally  impenitent  will  be  eternal 

conscious  misery. 

*     *     * 

"On  the  affirmative  was  the  great  champion  of  Im- 
mortal-soulism,  and  Orthodoxy,  who  'had  annihilated 
all  such  kinds  of  infidels  in  Canada,'  and  was  to  finish 
up  the  work  in  the  States.  After  the  discussion,  it 
simply  turned  out  to  be  our  whole-souled  and  Bible- 
believing  Bro.  Wm.  Sheldon,  on  the  negative;  and  an 
immaterial-spirit-man  (when  unclothed),  by  the  name  of 
Rev.  J.  B.  Richardson,  a  Methodist  preacher    {when 

clothed),  on  the  affirmative. 

*     *     *     * 

"I  will  give  a  sample  of  the  arguments  of  the  affirm- 
ative. 

"We  are  conscious  in  the  intermediate  state,  because 
a  man  may  lose  a  leg,  and  still  feel  a  sensation  of  heat  or 
cold  in  it  though  it  is  gone:  and  therefore  may  suffer, 
as  the  rich  man  did  in  that  state.  Query. — Will  the 
spirit  leg  feel  fire  by  holding  it  in  that  element?  An- 
swer.— No;  we  must  hold  the  '  clothed,'  or  flesh  leg  with 
it  if  we  feel  the  fire  in  the  ghost  or  spirit  leg. 

"Then  we  must  have  a  flesh  leg  in  order  to  feel  the 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  75 

fire :  unclothe  the  whole  spirit  body  and  how  will  it  feel 

the  fire? 

*     *     *     * 

"We  believe  that  this  meeting  will  be  of  great  good 
to  the  lovers  of  truth  in  Sparta.  There  is  an  infant 
church  of  thirty  members  just  started  there  under  the 
labors  of  Elds.  Hough  and  Sheldon,  and  others  have 
been  undecided.  And  as  the  affirmative  sustained  by 
one  considered  fully  as  able  as  any  to  sustain  the  old 
theology  introduced  into  the  garden  by  the  enemy — • 
''Thou  shalt  not  surely  die" — has  failed,  we  trust  that 
God  may  bless  the  people,  and  lead  them  to  Christ,  the 
great  Life-giver,  now;  for  it  will  soon  be  too  late." 

We  have  heard  Bro.  S.  relate  of  this  Sparta  discussion 
how  his  opponent  made  the  statement  that  the  "Ad- 
vents" (as  he  called  them)  prepared  their  "ascension 
robes  "  back  in  1843-4,  and  that  he  knew  they  did,  and 
had  seen  over  a  hundred  of  them  with  them  on,  waiting 
for  the  Lord  to  come.  This  "ascension  robe"  story 
was  got  up  to  hurt  our  people,  and  was  freely  used  for 
that  purpose  for  many  years,  and  was  one  of  the  "per- 
secutions "  heaped  upon  us.  But  for  years  our  people 
offered  $100  rew^ard  to  any  one  who  could  prove  the 
existence  .of  a  single  case  of  an  Adventist  preparing 
such  a  robe  for  that  purpose. 

Well,  this  man  had  seen  them,  and  knew  all  about  it. 
Bro.  S.  quickly  informed  him  of  the  offered  reward,  and 
told  him  this  was  his  chance  to  make  some  money; 
then  proceeded  to  make  inquiries  which  should  pro- 
cure for  him  the  offered  reward. 

"Where  did  you  know  of  the  'robes'?" 

— "Back  in  Canada." 

"Yes.     I  have  been  in  Canada.     What  part?" 


76  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

—"In  Canada  West.'* 

"That  seems  nearer  home.     What  place?"" 

— (He  mentioned  the  name  of  a  town.) 

"Indeed.  That  is  interesting.  I  have  preached  in 
that  town.  So  you  saw  over  a  hundred  Adventists  in 
,  with  their  'ascension  robes'  on,  did  you?" 

— "Well;  there  might  not  have  been  a  hundred." 

"Well,  how  many?     Fifty?" 

— "Can't  say  as  there   were." 

"Well,  how  many?  Please  be  definite,  for  there  is 
that  $100  for  you." 

— Still  he  could  give  no  number. 

"Well  then,  tell  me  just  where  you  saw  them." 

— "Well,  at  the  house  of  Aunt  Nancy  Blank." 

"Indeed!  This  is  more  interesting  still.  At  the 
house  of  Aunt  Nancy !  I  have  been  at  her  house  many 
times,  and  am  well  acquainted  with  her.  Come  now, 
tell  us  all  about  it.  There  is  the  hundred  dollars,  you 
know." 

To  sum  it  all  up,  this  M.  E.  preacher  had  called  at 
the  above  mentioned  house  early  one  morning  before 
breakfast,  on  an  errand  of  some  sort,  and  before  the 
household  were  all  out  of  bed.  While  in  the  kitchen 
waiting,  he  saw  through  the  crack  of  a  door  opening 
into  another  room,  a  woman  sitting  on  the  edge  of  the 
bed  with  her  night  robe  on! 

This  was  the  "over  a  hundred"  Adventists  he  had 
seen  with  their  "ascension  robes"  on! 

The  Principal  of  the  Sparta  High  School  at  that  time, 
who  attended  the  debate,  said:  "I  will  never  again  be- 
lieve a  word  thai  man  says." 

In  every  case  where  an  "ascension  robe"  story  was 
ferreted  out.  it  has  dwindled  down  to  similar  dimen- 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  77 

sions  with  the  above ;  and  the  offered  reward  was  never 
claimed,  for  there  was  never  any  truth  in  any  such 
stories. 

A  letter  from  Sister  E.  A.  Rich  refers  to  this  debate, 
and  to  other  matters  concerning  the  Sparta  church. 
She  names  Bro.  Sheldon  as  ''being  the  first  one  who 
ever  preached  the  Advent  doctrine  here;"  she  having 
sent  him  a  request  to  come.  He  came  and  held  meetings 
in  the  school-house  as  long  as  he  could  have  it;  then 
held  them  wherever  they  could  get  a  place.  Later,  he 
and  Bro.  Hough  came  with  a  tent;  and  "during  those 
meetings  there  was  an  M.  E.  Presiding  Elder  who  hung 
around  the  tent,  but  would  not  come  in,  (his  name  was 
Richardson);"  and  as  he  boasted  that  he  (Richardson) 
"could  silence  him  (Sheldon)  in  no  time,"  the  public 
discussion  was  arranged  for  by  leading  citizens.  "  But," 
writes  Mrs.  Rich,  "instead  of  silencing  the  Advent 
minister,  he  was  the  one  silenced;"  as  from  the  fore- 
going statements  we  can  well  believe. 

She  adds,  "They  continued  holding  meetings  as  best 
they  could.  After  a  time  a  church  was  organized,  a 
noble  self-sacrificing  band  of  brethren  and  sisters;  and 
soon  after  a  church  building  was  erected.  There  was  a 
mortgage  of  a  few  hundred  dollars  on  this  building;" 
and  when  it  was  about  to  be  taken  for  the  mortgage, 
"Bro.  H.  Palmer  and  Sister  C.  Lowrie  advanced  the 
money,  paid  up  the  mortgage,  and  so  kept  the  church, 
where  the  Advent  Message  has  been  sounded  out  in  all 
these  years — almost  half  a  century." 

— So  much  for  results  in  this  case. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

BRANCHING    OUT. 


In  the  spring  of  1862,  Bro.  Sheldon  moved  his 
family  from  Spring ville  to  Merrimac,  a  little  village 
nestling  on  the  banks  of  the  Wisconsin  river.  They 
had  then  two  children,  a  daughter  and  a  son.  The 
eldest,  Jennie  D.,  was  born  in  Minnesota,  and  the  son, 
Simon  Peter,  was  born  the  year  before,  in  Springville. 
For  two  years  they  made  their  home  in  this  little  place, 
when  they  again  moved,  going  to  the  pretty  little  city 
of  Baraboo,  Wis.,  which  is  situated  near  to  one  of 
nature's  most  beautiful  and  romantic  spots,  with 
which  the  state  of  Wisconsin  is  much  favored.  We 
refer  to  the  Devil's  Lake,  with  its  surrounding  rocks, 
bluffs,  pines,  and  vines. 

Soon  after  their  removal  to  Merrimac,  the  family 
made  their  first  trip  to  the  East;  Bro.  S.  going  as 
delegate  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Advent  Christian 
Association,  held  at  camp  Wilbraham,  Mass. 

The  journey  was  made  by  way  of  the  Lakes,  taking 
boat  passage  from  Milwaukee.  This  proved  to  be  a 
stormy  voyage,  and  the  boat  was  old,  and  sprang  a 
leak,  and  the  boiler  gave  out  in  mid-lake  where  it  was 
too  deep  to  anchor;  so  the  boat  drifted  for  some  time, 
while  an  attempt  was  made  to  repair  the  boiler.  Thi§ 
delayed  their  passage  several  days. 

78 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  79 

While  on  the  water,  the  little  boy,  Simon,  climbed 
the  railing  of  the  boat,  and  was  hanging  down  on  the 
outer  side  when  he  was  discovered  and  rescued  by  one 
of  the  boat  hands. 

They  had  for  a  travelling  companion  from  Merrimac 
through  to  New  York,  Sr.  Julia  Buswell,  a  well-known 
lady  preacher,  who  had  been  visiting  friends  and 
preaching  in  Wisconsin,  and  was  returning  to  her 
home  in  New  Hampshire. 

They  left  the  boat  at  Ogdensburg,  N.  Y.,  going  from 
thence  to  his  old  home  for  a  short  visit,  then  on  to 
camp  Wilbraham  (now  Springfield  camp).  For  about 
three  months  Bro.  Sheldon  labored  in  New  England, 
while  his  wife  and  children  visited  relatives  and  friends 
in  Massachusetts. 

From  this  time  on,  Bro.  S.  was  associated,  in  some 
capacity  or  other,  with  the  national  and  general 
interests  of  the  Adventist  body,  and  with  the  different 
departments  of  its  work  as  they  arose  and  demanded 
attention  and  oversight.  Up  to  within  five  years  of 
his  death  he  served  this  people  in  responsible  official 
positions  to  which  he  was  elected,  on  Boards,  and 
Committees,  as  Editor,  Instructor,  and  the  like, 
besides  voluntary  service  in  writing  for  our  several 
papers  from  week  to  week.  He  often  served  in  several 
capacities  at  once,  both  in  the  East  and  the  West,  thus 
being  in  the  largest  sense  possible,  "a  denominational 
man;"  for  his  work  and  influence  were  confined  to  no 
one  locality,  though  his  home  was  in  the  West  for  the 
larger  part  of  his  life. 

Returning  from  New  England  to  the  West  by  rail, 
instead  of  going  direct  to  their  home  in  Wisconsin, 
they  all  went  according  to  a  previous  arrangement, 


so  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

to  the  home  of  Elder  C.  W.  Smith,  south  of  Aurora, 
IliinoiSj  where  they  engaged  in  a  protracted  effort  of 
some  weeks.  Bro.  Smith  had  but  recently  buried 
his  wife,  and  to  his  five  young  motherless  children  Sr. 
Sheldon  soon  endeared  herself  by  her  motherly  ways 
and  interest  in  them  while  there. 

It  was  at  the  last  of  these  meetings  that  Andrew 
Armour  first  came  into  contact  with  Elder  Sheldon, 
and  Elder  Smith.  A  stranger  in  a  strange  country, 
he  heard  that  something  called  "a  soul-sleeper"  was 
preaching  in  a  school-house  to  the  west,  and  concluded 
to  go.  He  remembers  yet  that  Elder  Sheldon  preached 
that  day  of  the  promise  to  Abraham,  and  that  1,  a,  n,  d, 
did  not  spell  sky;  all  of  which  he  already  believed.  As 
that  was  the  last  of  these  meetings.  Elder  Smith  ap- 
pointed a  week-night  prayer  meeting  at  his  house;  and 
Bro.  Armour  attended  there  too,  and  so  was  led  into 
the  truth  on  the  soul  question  in  course  of  time,  and 
into  association  with  the  Advent  people. 

After  this  meeting  at  Elder  Smith's,  meetings  were 
conducted  at  the  home  of  Bro.  King,  father  of  Homer 
A.  King;  and  at  Amboy,  and  at  De  Kalb,  Illinois; 
making  it  into  the  winter  before  they  reached  their 
home  in  Merrimac,  Wis.  The  fruits  of  these  efforts 
were  more  or  less  visible,  there  being  conversions  to 
the  Lord,  and  converts  to  the  truth. 

In  1867  Bro.  Sheldon  again  went  to  the  East,  and 
attended  the  meeting  of  the  Advent  Christian  Associa- 
tion, and  that  of  the  American  Advent  Mission  Society. 
At  the  organization  of  our  mission  work,  in  1865,  he 
was  appointed  a  Vice-President  of  that  Society,  and 
was  thereafter  almost  continuously  connected  with 
its  very  important  work;  serving  also  as  an  official  on 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  81 

both  its  home  and  Foreign  Boards ;  and  still  being  thus 
connected  with  its  work,  as  Vice-President  of  the  A. 
A,  M.  S.,  and  Chairman  of  the  Western  Home  Board, 
even  after  his  last  illness  came  on  and  prevented  him 
from  further  active  service. 

Frequently,  after  1867,  he  was  in  attendance  at  the 
general  meetings  in  the  East,  and  also  at  the  camp- 
meetings  and  other  services;  though  he  was  not  ac- 
companied by  any  of  his  family  on  these  trips,  except 
in  1877,  when  his  wife  and  youngest  son  went  with 
him;  and  in  1883,  when  he  took  his  wife  and  youngest 
daughter  along,  for  a  three  months'  visit. 

Up  to  the  organization  of  our  Mission  Societies, 
workers  all  over  the  states  entered  mission  fields  with- 
out financial  aid,  or  any  supervision  from  any  organ- 
ization, going  out  as  they  felt  called,  and  trusting  the 
Lord  for  the  support  of  themselves  and  of  their  families 
during  their  absence.  Theirs  was  a  life  of  trust;  and 
often  was  their  faith  and  confidence  severely  tested — 
not  alone  in  the  ]\Iaster  who  would  provide  for  the 
necessities  of  his  servants, — but  also  in  their  being 
really  called  of  God  to  this  particular  line  of  work. 

Many  an  experience  in  this  direction  might  be  re- 
lated, but  we  will  content  ourselves  with  giving  one 
instance,  which  was  recently  mentioned  by  Dr.  J.  W. 
Emmons. 

When  the  doctor  was  but  a  young  boy,  Bro.  Sheldon 
drove  to  his  father's  house,  where  he  stayed  over  night. 
As  he  remembers  it,  Bro.  S.  had  come  from  some  dist- 
ance north,  and  was  on  his  way  to  some  point  in 
Illinois,  where  he  wished  to  be  present  at  some  Spirit- 
ualist convention.  The  next  morning  "Uncle  John," 
the  doctor's  father,  felt  impressed  to  inquire  of  Bro. 


82  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

S.  whether  he  had  sufficient  funds  to  bear  the  expense 
of  the  trip,  and  to  keep  him  while  at  the  convention. 
He  reluctantly  admitted  his  lack  of  the  funds  necessary, 
whereupon  Bro.  Emmons  placed  some  money  in  his 
hand  as  he  said  goodbye.  After  he  had  gone  away  a 
short  distance,  Bro.  S.  looked  at  the  money  and  saw 
that  it  was  twenty  dollars.  He  was  so  sure  that  Bro. 
E.  had  made  a  mistake — not  being  used  to  gifts  of 
such  an  amount —  that  he  turned  his  horse  and  drove 
back  to  the  house,  and  told  Bro.  Emmons  that  he  had 
made  a  mistake.  Bro,  E.  wished  to  know  how;  and 
he  said:  "You  have  given  me  twenty  dollars." 
Bro.  E.  said  that  was  what  he  intended  to  give  him. 
So  Bro.  Sheldon  went  on  his  way,  no  doubt  rejoicing 
and  praising  his  heavenly  Father  in  whom  he  had 
trusted  for  supply. 

On  his  return  homeward  Bro.  S.  again  stopped  over 
night  at  Bro.  Emmons'  home;  and  as  he  started  off 
in  the  morning  it  was  with  another  token  of  the  Lord's 
providing  watch-care  over  him,  while  thus  laboring 
in  His  cause. 

Those  trusting  servants  could  tell  of  many  a  dark 
experience;  and  also  of  the  great  blessings  which  at- 
tended those  conflicts  in  which  their  faith  and  trust 
were  severely  tested,  but  through  which  they  were 
brought  off  victors  through  faith,  and  were  prepared 
to  follow  their  leader  again,  through  the  next  dark 
place. 

We  wish  we  could  to-day  see  evidence  of  greater 
trust  in  a  Divine  Leader  displayed  by  His  professed 
followers.  It  seems  that  we  are  too  desirous  of  walk- 
ing by  "sight,"  even  forgetting  that  we  are  called  to 
walk  by  faith;  and  that  we  are  losers  by  this  attitude. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  83 

because  the  blessings  do  not  accompany  the  walk  by 
sight  that  attend  the  walk  by  faith.  "Because  thou 
hast  seen  me  thou  hast  believed:  blessed  are  they 
that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed;" — that  is 
more  blessed,  emphatically  blessed,  in  comparison  with 
seeing  believers.  It  has  been  said  that "  many  trust  God 
for  their  souls,  who  could  not  trust  him  for  a  shilling." 

Although  for  many  years  connected  with  our  Mission 
Society  and  its  work,  he  never  depended  on  that;  or 
any  other  society  for  his  maintainance  while  doing 
what  was  really  mission  work  for  so  many  years;  and, 
with  a  few  exceptions,  he  received  no  financial  aid 
from  such  organizations,  general  or  state,  but  went 
out  into  the  vast  mission  field  relying  on  the  Lord; 
being  impelled  by  a  more  than  human  power  to  "Go, 
work  to-day  in  my  vineyard," — "and  whatsoever  is 
right  that  shall  ye  receive." 

He  has  been  instrumental  in  aiding  many  other  work- 
ers to  a  support,  or  a  partial  support,  in  the  mission 
fields,  through  our  mission  organizations,  but  relied 
not  on  such  helps  for  himself.  The  A.  A.  M.  Board 
urged  him  to  go  to  the  Southern  field  as  their  repre- 
sentative, which  he  consented  to  do;  making  two  trips 
to  that  field,  and  accepting  the  support  of  the  Society 
for  the  time.  These  visits  were  in  the  winters  of 
1871-2,  and  1872-3,  and  will  be  mentioned  later  on 
in  this  narrative. 

So  he  labored  on  in  this  broad  field.  Calls  came 
from  all  sides;  the  Macedonian  cry  came  from  far  and 
near,  "Come  over  and  help  us;"  doors  opened  to  him 
in  larger  numbers  than  he  could  possibly  enter;  and 
time  was  never  allowed  to  go  to  waste  on  his  hands, 
as  his  many  writings  witness. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FAITHFUL   TO   THE    MISSION,   AMID    TRIAL. 


Although  doors  were  being  opened  in  all  directions 
by  those  desirous  of  hearing  the  prophetic  word;  and 
of  our  hope  of  a  future  life  through  Christ,  which  is  to 
be  bestowed  upon  the  faithful  at  the  resurrection  and 
the  culmination  of  the  prophetic  events  foretold  in  the 
Word;  the  preaching  of  these  truths  was  performed 
almost  universally  in  the  face  of  opposition,  open  and 
direct,  or  covert  and  underhand, — or  often  both  of 
these  combined;  and  in  the  face  of  persecution,  and 
prejudice,  and  misrepresentation. 

Often  were  the  early  workers  published  by  press  and 
pulpit  as  being  "Millerites,"  heretics,  no-soulists, 
infidels,  semi-infidels.  Modern  Apostles,  and  so  on. 
They  were  spoken  of  as  "getting  up  a  new  translation 
to  suit  their  theory,"  and  many  like  charges,  calculated 
to  prejudice  the  people  and  lead  their  minds  astray. 
People  were  advised,  publicly  and  privately,  to  keep 
away  from  those  No-Soulists,  etc.  But  often  these 
very  warnings  operated  as  advertisements,  and  gained 
us  listeners,  proving  in  the  end  to  the  preacher's  ad- 
vantage rather  than  otherwise. 

Our  preachers  of  younger  age  experience  but  little 
of  what  the  old  veterans  of  our  cause  had  to  meet  and 
overcome,  along  these  lines.  The  fields  of  labor  that 
have  been  opened  by  the  persevering  efforts  of  the 

84 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  85 

faithful,  God-fearing,  and  Christian-living  workers 
of  former  years,  have  been  gained  as  the  result  of 
many  a  conflict  with  error,  many  a  struggle,  many  a 
wound;  and  by  "living  it  down,"  in  the  face  of  threats, 
misrepresentations,  and  petty  persecutions;  through 
the  enduring  of  hardships,  privations,  toils,  sufferings, 
and  many  conditions  to-day  unknown. 

Oh  that  we  were  able  to  picture,  though  but  faintly 
to  your  minds,  the  real  hard  struggle  it  has  cost  to 
clear  the  ground  now  being  occupied  peaceably  and 
unmolested!  Whence  has  come  the  change?  Are 
the  Adventists  of  to-day  as  much  on  fire  with  zeal  as 
were  the  fathers?  Are  they  as  much  alive  to  the  im- 
minence of  the  judgment  as  their  predecessors  were? 
Are  they  more  tolerated  because  they  are  more  toler- 
able— not  quite  so  hot,  but  maybe  of  a  comfortable 
lukewarm  temperature?  Answer  it  yourselves.  One 
thing  has  been  forced  in  upon  us  in  perusing  the  old 
records  to  obtain  matter  for  this  book,  and  lest  you 
may  not  read  it  between  the  lines  we  must  here  set  it 
down:  the  old  hands  were  moved  to  do  as  they  did  by 
a  live  faith  that  time  was  very  short,  and  the  judgment 
very  near.  It  is  still  nearer  to-day,  though  we  do  not 
jeel  it  as  much  as  they  did.  Truly,  "in  such  an  hour 
as  YE  think  not,  the  Son  of  man  cometh;"  and  so  ac- 
cording to  prophecy  he  could  not  come  when  the  many 
were  expecting  him.     But  how  is  it  now? 

These  fields  opened  up  with  so  much  toil  and  sacri- 
fice are  occupied  largely  now  by  those  who  know  and 
realize  very  little  of  the  struggles  through  which  others 
in  earlier  days  passed,  that  the  truth  might  be  estab- 
lished there.  It  seems  to  the  writer  that  the  picture 
of  those  early  days  will, — it  cannot  help  but — put  into 


86  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  hearts  of  many  an  ardent  desire  to  go  also,  and 
carry  the  message  of  speedy  redemption  to  the  many 
still  in  darkness;  rather  than  to  settle  down  in  com- 
parative ease  in  an  already  opened  field,  the  struggles 
for  the  founding  of  which  are  but  little  known  or 
realized. 

Oh  that  the  old  spirit  of  "Go,"  and  of  "Woe  is  me 
if  I  go  not,"  were  felt  to-day  by  our  young  men  and 
women  in  such  measure  that  we  should  quickly  see 
hundreds  of  them  out  in  the  great  mission  fields  which 
are  on  every  side  waiting  for  reapers — both  at  home 
and  abroad — and  thus  reaping  the  results  of  their  own 
labors,  and  bringing  many  from  darkness  into  the 
light  and  liberty  of  the  glorious  gospel ! 

There  never  was  a  greater  need  for  zealous  workers 
in  the  field  than  exists  to-day.  We  are  in  the  midst 
of  the  harvest.  "The  harvest  truly  is  plenteous,  but 
the  laborers  are  few;"  especially  in  the  line  of  the 
Judgment  Message.  "Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord 
of  the  harvest  that  he  will  send  forth  laborers  into 
his  harvest"  (Matt.  9:  37,  38).  "Put  ye  in  the  sickle, 
for  the  harvest  is  ripe "  (Joel  3 :  13).  "I  say  unto  you, 
Lift  up  your  eyes  and  look  on  the  fields,  for  they  are 
white  already  to  harvest.  And  he  that  reapeth  re- 
ceiveth  wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  unto  life  eternal: 
that  both  he  that  soweth  and  he  that  reapeth  may 
rejoice  together"  (John  4:  35,  36). 

Who,  who,  will  go  labor  in  earth's  great  harvest 

field  and  win  precious  sheaves  to  bring  with  him  in  the 

final  "Harvest  Home?" 

"He   that  goeth  forth  with  weeping, 
Bearing  precious  seed  in  love, 
Never  tiring,  never  sleeping, 
Findeth  mercy  from  above." 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  87 

God  forbid  that  any  to  whom  the  Lord  has  said, 
"Go,"  shall  in  the  judgment  hear  the  sad  lament: 
"The  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is  ended;  and  we 
are  not  saved," — because  they  failed  to  go  when  sent, 
or  to  labor  faithfully  when  out  in  the  harvest  field  I 
(Jer.  8:  20). 

"Lo!  the  field  is  white  for  harvest,  but  the  reapers  they  are  few; 

And  the  hand  that  fields  the  sickle  must  be  bold  and  strong 
and  true; 

For  the  field  in  which  we  labor  spreads  far  over  sea  and  land, — 

'  Preach  my  gospel  to  all  nations,'  was  the  Sa\'ior's  great  com- 
mand . " 

Though  the  early  efforts  to  carry  the  light  of  life, 
and  the  "gospel  of  the  kingdom,"  were  made  under 
such  dark,  undesirable  conditions,  and  demanded  of 
the  laborers  such  sterling  qualities  of  character,  and 
strong  faith  in  order  that  they  might  stand  true  to 
their  convictions,  under  such  trying  circumstances 
(and  not  only  stand,  but  push  them),  yet  the  faithful 
laborers  found  also  a  bright,  encouraging  side,  which 
overbalanced  these  "light  afflictions  which  are  but  for 
a  moment,"  by  the  knowledge  that  they  were  working 
out  for  them  "a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory,"  which  was  theirs  in  prospect,  and  was  to  be 
received  in  actuality  "at  that  day;"  and  they  were 
also  cheered  and  encouraged  by  the  visible  results  of 
their  efforts,  which  were  seen  as  they  labored.  "Paul 
planted,  ApoUos  watered,  and  God  gave  the  increase." 

The  workers  were  themselves  filled  and  enthused 
with  the  message  they  bore,  and  their  words,  spoken 
from  their  hearts,  were  powerfully  accompanied  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  in  convicting  power  which  convinced 
and  converted  large  numbers  of  their  hearers.  Minds 


88  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

were  enlightened,  and  many  received  the  word  with 
gladness,  to  the  joy  of  their  hearts,  and  the  rejoicing 
of  their  souls. 

Sinners,  being  brought  face  to  face  with  the  judg- 
ment, were  led  to  see  their  lost  and  dying  condition 
out  of  Christ,  and  to  forsake  their  sinful  ways,  to  ac- 
cept Christ  as  their  personal  Savior  and  Redefemer 
from  sin  and  death,  and  to  "turn  to  God  from  idols, 
and  to  wait  for  his  Son  from  heaven."  Many  who 
were  deeply  sunk  in  sin  and  very  far  from  righteous- 
ness were  brought  up  out  of  the  horrible  pit,  out  of 
the  miry  clay,  and  a  new  song  put  in  their  mouth  even 
praise  to  our  God.  And  many  were  made  to  tremble 
under  the  power  of  the  preached  word,  who  were  not 
only  awakened  but  stayed  awake,  and  afterward  lived 
lives  of  consecration  and  devotion  to  the  cause  of 
Christ  and  truth;  having  "put  off  the  old  man  which 
is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,"  and  having 
"put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness"  (Eph.  4:  22,  24.) 

Thousands  upon  thousands  who  heard  and  received 
the  word  through  these  humble  ministers,  and  who 
lived  consistent  Christian  lives  thereafter,  are  now 
laid  away,  sleeping  in  Jesus  in  the  cold,  silent  tomb, 
awaiting  the  sound  of  the  last  trumpet,  which  shall 
arouse  them  from  slumber  to  receive  the  touch  of 
immortality  at  the  hand  of  the  Life-Giver.  "For  the 
trumpet  shall  sound  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  in- 
corruptible. .  .  .  Then  shall  be  brought  to  pass 
the  saying  that  is  written.  Death  is  swallowed  up  in 
victory.  .  .  .  Thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth 
us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesiis  Christ"  (1  Cor. 
15:  52-57). 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  89 

All  these  converts  will  then  be  as  bright  shining  stars 
in  the  crowns  of  those  who  faithfully  toiled  on  and 
brought  to  them  the  word  of  life,  notwithstanding 
discouragements,  darkness,  and  trials.  Surely  there 
was  a  bright  side  which  kept  up  the  courage,  zeal,  and 
faith  of  the  former  planters  of  dispensational  truth. 
Amid  the  clouds  and  storms,  and  above  them,  the 
sun  shone  into  their  hearts,  bright  with  visible  results 
of  accomplished  good,  bright  with  the  hope  of  glory 
and  everlasting  life  in  the  world  so  soon  to  come."  For 
what  is  our,  or  was  their,  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of 
rejoicing?  Are  not  ye  [these  transformed  ones]  .  .  . 
at  his  coming?"  (1  Thess.  2:  19,  20). 

Reader:  should  not  we  put  our  hearts  and  lives  into 
this  service  with  all  earnestness,  so  that  we  too  may 
come  up  before  our  Savior  on  that  looked-for  morning 
with  some  precious  sheaves  to  present  before  him, 
gathered  for  earth's  final  harvest?  This  we  may  do 
by  the  Lord's  help,  if  we  but  remember  and  rely  on 
the  promise:  "He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth, 
bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with 
rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with  him"  (Psa.  126:  6). 


CHAPTER  XV. 

EVANGELISTIC    WORK. 


The  relation  of  some  revival  experiences  will  be  in 
place  here,  and  we  gladly  insert  the  following  account 
furnished  by  Sr.  Hettie  Scott,  daughter  of  that  faithful 
veteran  of  the  cause  of  truth  in  Illinois,  the  late  Elder 
Larkin  Scott. 

She  writes:  ''In  the  fall  of  1864,  Bro.  Sheldon  came 
to  our  place, — Denver,  Illinois,  and  held  a  series  of 
meetings,  continuing  for  three  weeks,  or  more.  The 
glorious  truths  he  proclaimed,  and  the  plain,  earnest 
way  in  which  he  presented  them,  found  the  way  to  the 
hearts  of  many  of  his  hearers,  who  numbered  hun- 
dreds; and  over  forty  came  out  on  the  Lord's  side,  taking 
a  stand  for  the  truth :  your  humble  writer  being  among 
the  number.  Yes,  under  dear  Bro.  Sheldon's  earnest 
preaching  I  was  truly  converted  to  God;  and  many 
were  the  precious  souls  buried  in  the  watery  grave, 
and  we  came  forth  to  walk  in  newness  of  life.  I  praise 
God  to-day  that  the  steps  of  Bro.  Sheldon  were,  ever 
ordered  this  way. 

"In  all,  he  made  three  visits  to  this  place.  We 
entertained  him  in  our  humble  home,  and  his  daily 
life  told  for  God  and  truth.  His  last  visit  was  to 
speak  words  of  comfort  and  cheer  over  the  sleeping 
form  of  my  dear  father,  and  what  cheering,  comforting 

90 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  91 

words — they  still  ring  in  my  ears — of  the  bright,  glorious 
hope  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  a  hope  that 
reaches  beyond  this  vale  of  tears,  a  promise  to  all  the 
faithful  that  we  shall  meet  in  the  sweet  bye  and  bye, 
meet  in  God's  kingdom,  meet  to  part  no  more! " 

In  the  Voice  of  the  West  there  is  a  brief  report 
written  by  Bro.  S.  from  Victoria,  111.,  Oct.  22,  1866,  as 
follows : 

"Our  tent  meeting  at  Victoria  is  over;  and  I  am  now 
going  to  the  state  of  ^Missouri  to  give  the  judgment 
alarm.  Last  night  seven  new  cases  arose  for  prayers, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  meeting  three  more  decided  to 
make  a  start.  I  intend  to  strike  tent  to-day  and 
preach  in  the  school-house  to-night ;  and  leave  for  the 
South  to-morrow." 

His  meetings  in  Missouri  were  reported  by  him  in 
the  same  paper,  in  the  issues  of  Nov.  13  and  27,  1866; 
being  written  from  Bowling  Green,  Polk  Co. 

"I  came  to  the  state  of  Missouri,  and  commenced 
a  meeting  in  a  house  belonging  to  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterians.  Prior  to  my  arrival,  notice  of  my 
meeting  was  given  in  public,  when  an  old  church- 
member  arose  and  advised  everybody  to  stay  away  from 
my  meeting,  saying  that  I  advocated  a  very  danger- 
ous doctrine:  so  the  people  were  much  prejudiced 
against  me  before  hearing  a  word,  for  our  faith  had 
never  been  preached  in  this  region.  But  prejudice 
has  been  steadily  dying  under  the  shower  of  truth.  I 
have  already  preached  twelve  sermons,  and  last  night 
several  arose  for  prayers.  There  is  much  feeling  in 
the  community,  both  among  non-professors  and  church- 
members.  My  meetings  have  been  among  the  whites, 
including  a  sprinkling  of  the  blacks,  who  are  much 


92  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

interested.  One  black  boy  went  home  and  told  his 
mother  that  the  preacher  looked  like  a  young  Jesus 
Christ.  I  am  finding  homes  among  the  different 
church-members,  who  treat  me  with  great  kindness." 

TWO    DAYS    LATER. 

"Since  writing  the  foregoing,  the  interest  to  hear  on 
the  prophecies  has  steadily  increased.  One  good  old 
brother  belonging  to  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church,  told  me  he  had  'got  the  scales  knocked  off 
his  eyes  right  smart,  on  prophecy,  and  he  reckoned  a 
heap  of  others  had;'  and  also  that  he  had  'talked  with 
a  heap  of  people,  and  they  were  getting  over  their 
prejudice  right  smart.'  Yesterday  (Sunday)  the 
'  Antioch  church '  \vas  filled  all  day  with  attentive  and 
candid  listeners,  while  many  white  folks,  and  all  the 
negroes,  had  to  remain  on  the  outside,  listening  with 
breathless  attention.  In  the  evening  the  white  folks 
filled  the  meeting-house  to  overflowing,  while  the 
negroes  built  a  big  fire  on  the  outside,  near.<the  window 
back  of  the  pulpit,  and  listened  in  quietude.  This 
was  a  novel  idea  to  me,  but  no  uncommon  practice  at 
'big  meetings'  in  this  country.  At  the  close  of  my 
sermon  I  requested  sinners  and  backsliders  who  were 
determined  to  start  for  the  kingdom  to  manifest  it  by 
rising.  Some  twenty-three  arose,  all  grown  persons, 
and  mostly  those  who  had  never  made  a  profession  of 
religion.  How  many  on  the  outside  would  have  started, 
if  an  opportunity  had  been  offered  them,  I  know 
not.  I  fear  we  shall  soon  have  to  close  our  meeting, 
owing  to  the  cold  weather;  as  the  church  is  in  a  di- 
lapidated condition,  it  having  almost  gone  to  wreck 
during  the  war,  the  windows  and  doors  being  broken, 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  93 

making  it  unfit  for  meetings  except  in  warm  weather. 
The  sympathizers  with  the  South,  and  the  sympathiz- 
ers with  the  North,  were  about  equally  divided  in  our 
recent  struggle,  and  could  not  worship  together.  The 
bitterness  has  been  such  that  some  still  sleep  with  fire- 
arms by  their  bed.  Some  who  have  not  attended  meet- 
ing since  the  war  commenced  are  turning  out  to  hear 
the  truth  of  the  Lord's  coming.  May  the  Lord  save 
many  souls  here." 

ONE    DAY   LATER   STILL. 

"Just  as  I  am  sending  my  letter  to  the  office,  I  will 
add  that  prejudice  continues  to  give  way,  and  the  in- 
terest to  increase.  Last  night  the  house  was  filled 
with  candid  listeners,  and  at  the  close  of  the  sermon 
some  forty  arose  for  prayers,  and  a  goodly  number 
spoke  with  much  feeling.  It  was  a  weeping  time.  I 
am  invited  to  preach  in  two  other  meeting-houses  five 
or  six  miles  away  in  different  directions;  but  if  the 
weather  will  allow,  duty  demands  a  continuance  here 
longer." 

LATER. 

"Four  days  have  elapsed  since  I  wrote  last,  and  I  have 
preached  each  evening  to  crowded  houses,  and  the 
attention  has  been  admirable.  On  an  average  about 
forty  a  night  have  risen  for  prayers.  The  house  has 
been  too  full  to  get  them  forward,  except  one  night. 
Backsliders  and  non-professors  are  included  in  the 
number,  some  of  both  classes  have  found  peace.  Others 
are  deeply  serious.  Among  those  who  have  set  out  are 
C.  Cheatham  and  wife — formerly  from  Minnesota. 
Last  night,  upon  asking  the  question  how  many  wished 


94  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

to  go  to  the  Kingdom  of  God,  nearly  the  whole  house 
arose.  I  then  set  forth  the  conditions  upon  which 
the  kingdom  could  be  gained,  and  then  asked  all  to 
arise  who  had  fully  made  up  their  minds  to  comply 
with  the  conditions,  when  over  100  stood  up.  Several 
have  requested  baptism. 

"To-day  has  been  a  rainy  day,  the  roads  are  getting 
bad,  and  the  meeting-house  is  leaky,  so  I  fear  that  the 
meeting  will  be  partially  a  failure  for  the  present.  I 
am  to  remain  over  Sunday.  There  is  a  deep  anxiety 
manifested  to  have  me  return  again.  Members  of 
different  churches  are  getting  over  their  fears,  and  are 
giving  me  a  warm  welcome.  The  whole  community  is 
roused  up  to  hear,  and  the  tide  of  influence  is  turning 
in  my  favor,  both  among  professors  and  non-profes- 
sors. I  learn,  however,  that  some  who  have  never  at- 
tended the  meetings  insist  that  I  '  ought  to  be  driven 
out  of  the  country  with  blood-hounds.'  Others  who 
were  once  opposed,  upon  coming  to  hear,  go  away  and 
report,  'Any  man  who  hears  him  once  will  want  to 
hear  him  again.' 

"Friday  evening,  November  7.  Notwithstanding  the 
rain  and  mud,  the  house  was  nearly  filled.  Several 
new  ones  arose  for  prayers,  as  well  as  those  who  had 
risen  previousl3^  A  solemn  time  truly.  Many  spoke 
of  their  anxieties  and  resolutions.  Some  felt  blessed 
of  the  Lord. 

"Saturday  eve  the  house  was  filled  to  a  jam.  Candid 
attention.  Truth  took  effect.  The  people  generally 
feel  that  our  faith  looks  reasonable.  When  they  have 
time  to  look  the  matter  all  over,  it  must  be  that  scores 
will  fully  receive  the  truth.  May  they  also  have  the 
spirit    of    worship.     Mem-bers    of    different    churches 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  95 

feel  in  warm  sympathy  with  the  meeting.     Prejudice 
has  died  away  extensively. 

"Sunday  the  house  was  more  than  filled.  Many, 
both  whites  and  blacks,  stood  outside.  The  truth  took 
effect.  The  general  impression  seemed  to  obtain  that 
the  Bible  had  been  preached  in  its  purity.  I  am  earn- 
estly pressed  with  calls  for  meetings  in  different  di- 
rections. The  message  of  the  Judgment  near  must 
be  proclaimed  in  this  state.  Five  meeting  houses 
have  been  offered  me  already. 

"Monday.  I  preached  again  this  morning,  after 
which  I  baptized  five  happy  souls.  Many  more  feel  it 
duty  to  obey,  and  will  soon  do  so.  I  find  I  must  return 
to  this  state  again  to  preach  the  truth.  Bro.  Shields, 
v»^ho  invited  me  here,  feels  much  cheered.  I  am  much 
pleased  with  the  kindness  of  the  people  here.  Have 
made  it  my  home  principally  with  Brn.  Shields, 
Cheatham,  and  Father  Orr^  the  deacon,  or  elder,  of 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church — an  excellent 
man.  Many  are  under  conviction.  I  have  already 
preached  twenty-five  sermons  here.  I  must  go  home 
now  for  a  time.  To-night  I  am  to  preach  to  the  colored 
people." 

LATER   STILL. 

"Monday  evening  we  met  to  preach  to  the  Negroes. 
Were  much  disappointed  in  seeing  so  few  out.  If  the 
appointment  had  been  given  for  the  whites,  the  house 
would  have  been  crowded.  This  was  a  misstep.  It 
was  leaving  a  good  interest  to  create  a  new  one,  without 
time  to  accomplish  it.  Besides,  I  do  not  believe 
that  I  have  a  gift  to  preach  to  that  class  of  people. 
Poor  as  my  preaching  is,  I  think  it  is  better  calculated 
to  do  good  among  the  v.'hites.     Let  those  go  am.ong 


96  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  blacks  who  have  a  better  gift  for  the  work  than  I 
have.  I  can  find  open  ears  among  the  whites  for  ten 
times  more  preaching  than  I  can  do." 

SCENES   IN   MISSOURI. 

"While  visiting  at  Father  Lee's  I  saw  a  flock  of  thirty 
or  forty  wild  turkeys,  the  first  I  ever  saw.  Of  course 
I  had  to  go  and  help  eat  wild  turkey,  for  two  were 
killed.  It  was  the  best  meal  of  turkey  I  ever  ate  in 
my  life.  Years  ago  it  was  nothing  to  see  500  in  a 
flock.  Now  they  are  not  so  plenty.  Wild  geese  are 
plenty.  Went  to  Bro.  Cheatham's  to  eat  some  wild 
goose,  the  first  I  ever  tasted.  But  I  prefer  the  turkey. 
"Grandma^Cheatham  was  here  on  a  visit  from  Minne- 
sota. She  is  seventy-five  years  old,  but  attended  every 
meeting.  She  thinks  she  will  live  to  see  Jesus  come. 
May  the  Lord  preserve  her. 

"The  common  way  of  traveling  in  this  state  is  on 
horseback.  Women  may  be  seen  by  scores  coming  to 
meeting  on  horseback — a  novel  sight  for  Northerners. 
I  have  really  fallen  in  love  with  the  plain  and  kind 
hearted  people  of  this  state.  I  wish  them  to  hear  the 
good  news  of  Jesus'  speedy  coming.  I  leave  this  place 
with  feelings  of  reluctance.  May  God  bless  the  serious 
ones  that  are  seeking  Jesus.     Amen." 

In  a  recent  issue  of  "Our  Hope,"  the  editor, 
Elder  H.  Pollard,  makes  the  following  mention: 

"The  writer  first  heard  him  (Bro.  S.)  in  the  winter 
of  '65-'66,  at  Carlinville,  111.,  where  he  delivered  a 
series  of  prophetic  and  doctrinal  discourses  in  the  M. 
E.  church,  resulting  in  a  church  organization  which 
is  still  in  existence.     The  writer  then  accepted  the 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  97 

truth  presented,  and  was  baptized,  with  several  others, 
by  Bro.  Sheldon,  toward  the  close  of  the  meetings." 

This  place  (Carlinville)  was  the  home  of  Bro. 
Sheldon's  family  friends:  Bro.  and  Sr.  J.  T.  Sargent. 
They,  with  their  brother,  Bro.  Quimby,  interested 
themselves  to  obtain  assistance  to  procure  a  tent  to 
put  into  the  hands  of  Bro.  Sheldon  to  use  in  carrying 
the  word  of  truth  to  the  perishing.  Through  their 
generosity  and  that  of  other  friends,  a  large  tent  was 
secured  about  this  time,  and  during  the  tent  season 
was  thereafter  kept  constantly  in  the  field  for  many 
years.  As  a  consequence,  thousands  will  be  permitted 
to  share  in  the  blessing  of  eternal  life,  "in  that  day 
when  the  Lord  shall  make  up  his  jewels." 


CHAPTER  XVI . 

TENT   AND    CHART   WORK. 


The  tent  mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter  was 
a  large,  well-made,  circular  tent,  sixty  feet  in  diameter, 
and  was  capable  of  easily  seating  one  thousand  people, 
and  more  by  crowding;  and  there  are  many  still  living 
who  know  that  it  was  not  infrequently  filled  to  over- 
flowing. People  would  flock  to  the  tent  from  miles 
around,  especially  on  Sundays,  eager  to  hear  the 
preached  Word.  From  this  time  on,  for  many  years, 
that  grand  old  tent  was  used  to  herald  the  coming 
judgment,  and  to  prepare  a  people  to  meet  that  judg- 
ment in  peace.  Bro.  S.  was  always  extremely  careful 
in  caring  for  that  canvas,  so  that  it  was  preserved  for 
many  years  in  active  service,  out-wearing  tents  put 
into  the  field  some  years  later. 

He  opened  the  summer  campaigns  early  in  May, 
and  would  keep  the  tent  pitched  all  summer,  except 
when  it  was  being  moved  from  place  to  place ;  and  until 
late  in  fall,  often  until  the  last  of  October;  and  after 
the  weather  had  become  so  cold  that  stoves  were  set 
up  to  make  it  comfortable  for  the  people  who  would 
turn  out,  even  thus  late  in  the  season.  His  tenting 
season  was  longer  than  we  commonly  see  now-a-days. 
And,  besides,  he  always  made  his  way  with  the  tent, 
to  our  state  Camp-meetings,  the  management  of  which 

98 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  99 

was  left  chiefly  in  his  hands  for  many  years.  He  was 
also  chairman  of  the  committee  for  the  General  West- 
ern Camp-meeting,  for  quite  a  number  of  years.  No 
Western  man  has  had  a  greater  camp-meeting  experi- 
ence than  he. 

As  a  sample  of  a  summer's  contemplated  work  we 
clip  the  following  notice  from  a  March,  1866,  World's 
Crisis: 

"WESTERN  TENT  MEETINGS. 
"All  who  wish  my  services  with  the  tent  this  season,  will 
do  well  to  inform  me  at  once,  so  that  I  can  arrange  my  summer's 
campaign  in  the  most  economical  style.  Expect  to  pitch  some- 
where in  the  counties  of  Sauk,  Green,  Fond  Du  Lac,  and  Mon- 
roe, Wisconsin,  and  probably  in  Iowa,  Minnesota,  Illinois,  and 
possibly  in  Missouri.  Speak  in  time,  that  you  may  be  remem- 
bered in  the  arrangement  of  the  campaign.     Wm.  Sheldon." 

The  "remains"  of  that  old  tent  are  to-day  lying  in 
the  loft  of  our  barn;  and  often  a  feeling  almost  akin 
to  reverence  will  creep  over  us  as  we  approach  it.  How 
we  wish  it  could  speak,  and  tell,  so  that  we  could  write 
it  down,  of  the  many,  many  words  spoken  with  love 
and  zeal  and  heartfelt  earnestness  beneath  that 
canvas!  Of  the  many  saints  who  have  worshiped 
there  in  spirit  and  truth,  and  borne  testimony  to  the 
efficacy  of  saving  power,  beneath  its  shelter! — Of  the 
thousands  who  there  have  bowed  their  knees  for  the 
first  time,  and  sought  for  and  found  pardon  of  their 
sins  — Of  the  confessions  and  asking  forgiveness  for 
wrongs  done ;  to  each  other  by  brethren  and  sisters ! — 
Of  the  prayers  which  so  earnestly  arose,  coming  from 
the  very  depths  of  the  hearts  of  both  saints  and  sinners 
(for  sinners  were  wont  to  plead  in  prayer  and  agony 
in  those  days). — Of  the  shouts  of  praise:     "Glory; 


100  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Hallelujah;  Amen;  Blessed!"  which  frequently  arose 
from  all  parts  of  the  inclosure,  even  making  the  sur- 
rounding woods  ring,  and  echo,  and  re-echo,  with  the 
praises  of  saints. — Of  the  battles  fought  and  won  with 
sin  and  error;  of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  pages  of 
tracts,*  papers,  and  books  there  distributed,  and  of  the 
giving  of  money  to  aid  in  spreading  the  truth ;  of  the 
thousands  of  hearts  made  glad  because  of  clearer  light 
upon  the  Word,  brought  to  their  minds  and  hearts;  of 
the  many,  many  experiences  which,  if  written,  would 
make  more  than  one  large  book:  some  of  which  were 
joyful,  some  sorrowful,  and  some  even  amusing.  But 
with  audible  voice  the  old  tent  cannot  speak  of  what 
it  might  have  seen  and  heard  in  its  seventeen  years  of 
regular  service,  and  occasionally  afterwards. 

That  tent,  from  whose  center-pole  floated  the 
banner  with  "Thy  Kingdom  Come,"  has  been  a  means 
used  of  God,  by  which  Bro.  Sheldon,  sometimes  with 
others  with  him,  was  enabled  to  proclaim  words  of 
truth  and  life,  and  carry  the  banner  of  the  kingdom 
gospel  to  many  places  which  otherwise  could  not  have 
been  reached.  And  there  it  was  planted,  not  uncom- 
monly, to  remain  and  wave  victoriously;  some  soldiers 
being  enlisted  and  left  to  hold  the  fort. 

Were  the  old  tent  but  able  to  speak  and  tell  us  of 
all  these  things,  it  might  reveal  things  that  would 
make  some  of  us  open  our  eyes  in  wonder,  bring  tears 
both  of  sorrow  and  of  joy,  and  touch  the  hearts  of 
others  with  a  burning  missionary  zeal,  which  could 
not  be  satisfied    without  going  and  doing  likewise. 


♦■'Some  of  these  [tracts]  have    been    extensively  circulated, 
reaching  over  50,000  copies  on  the  free  distribution  list." 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  101 

And  our  fields  might  quickly  be  crowded  with  laborers, 
and  the  message  ringing  out  from  many  a  tongue 
which  is  now  almost  silent.  The  tale  of  the  old  tent 
would  surely  lead  you  and  me  to  consecrate  ourselves 
more  thoroughly  and  entirely  to  the  Lord's  service, 
and  fill  our  lives  with  deeds  of  devotion;  giving  each 
of  us  more  strength,  energy,  enthusiasm,  and  deter- 
mination. 

We  can  almost  imagine  that  were  the  scenes  and 
experiences,  which  the  old  canvas  could  relate  if  it  had 
speech, — were  these  repeated  in  our  day  and  accom- 
panied by  the  same  Holy  Spirit,  it  would  send  a  thrill, 
an  inspiration,  and  as  it  were  so  electrify  this  whole 
body,  that  it  would  be  productive  of  great  good  to  this 
people.  It  is  with  this  view  that  we  try  to  reproduce 
as  best  we  can  some  of  these  scenes. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  sixties  Bro.  Sheldon  con- 
ducted a  tent  meeting  at  Magnolia,  Rock  Co.,  Wis., 
pitching  the  tent  on  the  farm  of  John  Emmons,  now 
M.  D.,  near  to  "the  corners."  This  meeting  resulted 
in  establishing  an  interest;  and  a  number  of  noble  men 
and  women  were  led  to  embrace  the  truth. 

Within  a  year  or  so  arrangements  were  made  to  hold 
a  camp-meeting  there.  This  was  quite  largely  attended 
by  brethren  and  sisters  from  abroad,  and  by  quite  a 
number  of  ministers  besides  Wm.  Sheldon.  There 
were  S.  W.  Thurber,  J.  V.  Himes,  Marshall  McCulloch, 
and  his  wife,  Julia,  who  was  a  lady  preacher,  and  others. 
This  was  a  good  meeting,  believers  were  strengthened, 
and  some  converted. 

In  the  winter  following,  Bro.  S.  again  visited  this 
point  to  assist  Eld.  Isaac  Adrian,  who  then  resided 
there,  in  a  protracted  efifort. 


102  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Brethren  and  sisters  from  the  surrounding  villages 
gathered  in  to  attend.  Quite  a  number  from  Brod- 
head,  Monticello,  Attica,  Janesville,  and  other  points, 
came  for  a  few  days,  as  they  could  spare  the  time,  and 
added  zest  and  interest  to  the  services. 
f*  Brother  Emmons'  house  was  a  small  12  x  16  struc- 
ture, with  two  rooms  below,  and  an  attic  above.  Bro. 
S.  and  wife  occupied  the  small  bedroom  below,  while 
Bro.  and  Sr.  Emmons  and  Eld.  J.  R.  Preston,  who 
was  also  there,  made  temporary  sleeping  quarters  in 
the  low  attic;  and  the  children  found  the  floor  in  the 
living  room  so  comfortable  a  sleeping  place,  that  when 
they  got  home  some  weeks  later,  they  even  cried  to  be 
allowed  to  sleep  on  the  floor;  as  they  had  become  ac- 
customed to  do. 

"Hospitality"  was  a  common  virtue  among  Ad- 
ventists  in  those  days.  The  brethren  were  eager  to 
entertain  those  who  came  to  the  meetings.  During 
this  meeting,  "John,"  as  Dr.  Emmons  was  then  com- 
monly called, — or  Mrs.  Emmons  should  perhaps  share 
the  credit, — would  frequently  provide  a  table  for 
twenty,  thirty,  and  even  over  forty  at  a  meal:  and 
that  in  such  cramped  quarters  as  are  above  described. 
The  injunction  of  1st  Peter,  4:9,  "Use  hospitality 
one  to  another,  without  grudging,"  was  cheerfully 
carried  out  in  those  days ;  and  none  were  the  poorer 
for  it. 

A  lesson  might  be  learned  to-day  in  this  direction. 

Bro.  Sheldon  hung  up  his  chart,  and  declared  the 
prophetic  word  to  large  congregations.  The  novelty 
of  the  chart  drew  in  men  who  never  attended  meetings 
of  a  religious  nature.  They  labored  on  and  on,  faith- 
fully proclaiming  the  word,  and  inviting  sinners  to 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  103 

Christ;  yet  there  was  no  move.  The  meetings  con- 
tinued for  nine  days,  and  the  workers  were  getting 
discouraged.  Though  power  seemed  to  be  resting 
upon  the  people,  not  a  move  was  made.  The  brethren 
felt  that  it  was  best  to  close  the  meeting ;  and  intended 
to  do  so  that  night,  should  there  be  no  break. 

In  that  place  there  resided  a  man  who  was  universally 
respected  because  he  was  an  honest,  candid,  respect- 
able man;  but  he  was  an  open  and  pronounced  infidel. 
His  influence  in  the  community  was  large,  because  of 
his  virtues.  He  could  not  often  be  drawn  into  re- 
ligious meetings,  but  hearing  about  that  chart  he  did 
go  out  of  curiosity  to  see, — and  he  also  heard.  He 
went  again  and  again.  His  candid  nature  compelled 
him  to  open  a  Bible  and  investigate  for  himself.  He 
did  so,  and  his  reason  was  convinced.  Honesty  com- 
pelled him  next  to  admit  that  he  had  investigated  to 
the  satisfaction  of  his  own  mind,  and  that  he  believed 
what  he  had  heard  presented. 

On  the  night  that  the  discouraged  preachers  were 
about  to  announce  the  close  of  the  meetings,  this  man, 
George  Howard  by  name,  arose  at  the  close  of  the  ser- 
mon, and  manfully,  candidly,  and  openly  declared 
before  his  neighbors  and  companions  that  he — the  in- 
fidel of  the  community — had  investigated  for  himself 
what  he  had  been  hearing  of  the  prophetic  Word,  and 
had  come  to  the  honest  conclusion  that  he  had  been 
hearing  the  truth;  and  that  he  now  believed  the  Bible 
to  be  the  inspired  word  of  God.  He  manfully  gave 
himself  to  the  Savior  right  there,  and  entreated  his 
friends  and  neighbors  to  do  the  same. 

This  incident  was  the  beginning  of  a  great  revival. 
The  power  of  God  was  visibly  manifest,  and  the  meet- 


104  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

ings  continued  until  a  large  number  found  Christ 
precious  to  their  souls,  and  quite  a  number  were 
baptized.  From  this  origin,  in  the  spring  of  1869  the 
Magnolia  A.  C.  church  was  organized.  Few  churches 
have  been  blessed  with  members  of  such  grand  qualities 
and  noble  lives  as  were  to  be  seen  in  that  church.  Only- 
three  of  the  original  members  are  now  alive:  Dr.  J.  W. 
Emmons,  and  wife;  and  Sr.  Charles  Emmons;  but 
those  who  have  fallen  asleep  are  only  resting  for  a 
little  while,  having  done  well  and  faithfully  their  work. 
The  sleeping  car  goes  through  with  the  rest  of  the  train, 
and  all  will  arrive  at  the  terminus  together. 

As  to  the  preaching  of  prophecy,  which  converted 
Bro.  Howard  from  infidelity,  it  is  that  which  God  him- 
self appeals  to,  to  prove  that  he  is  God.  To  the  false 
gods,  or  idols,  he  says,  "Declare  us  things  for  to  come; 
show  us  the  things  that  are  to  come  hereafter,  that 
we  may  know  that  ye  are  gods."  And  again,  "I  am 
Jehovah;  .  .  .  behold  the  former  things  are  come 
to  pass,  and  new  things  do  I  declare :  before  they  spring 
forth  I  tell  you  of  them."  "And  who,  as  I,  shall  call, 
and  shall  declare  it;  ...  and  the  things  that 
are  coming,  and  shall  come,  let  them  show  unto  them." 
"Ask  me  of  things  to  come."  "Who  hath  declared 
this  from  ancient  time?  Who  hath  told  it  from  that 
time?  Have  not  I,  the  Lord?  and  there  is  no  God 
else  beside  me."  "Declaring  the  end  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  from  ancient  times  the  things  that  are  not 
yet  done."  "  I  have  even  from  the  beginning  declared 
it  to  thee;  before  it  came  to  pass  I  showed  it  thee:  lest 
thou  shouldst  say,  Mine  idol  hath  done  them."  Thus 
God  appeals  to  his  foretelling  events  before  they  come 
to  pass,  as  a  chief  proof  and  demonstration  that  he  is 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  105 

God,  and  that  he  has  spoken  in  his  Word.  And,  now 
that  the  fulfillment  of  Bible  prophecy  has  piled  up  evi- 
dence upon  evidence,  shall  preachers  of  his  Word  not 
make  it  plain,  and  press  it  upon  a  scoffing  and  un- 
believing generation?  To  fail  to  do  so  would  be  great 
unfaithfulness  to  the  charge:  "Preach  the  Word." 
We  thank  God  for  this  history  of  how  Geo.  Howard, 
the  infidel,  was  converted.  It  is  not  a  singular  case 
at  all. 

When  this  Bro.  Howard  was  enlightened  and  con- 
verted, the  first  thing  he  did  was  to  go  to  work.  He 
thought  that  all  he  would  have  to  do  was  to  tell  his 
old  friends  of  his  experience,  and  they  would  see  the 
truth  too.  So  he  started  right  out,  going  from  house 
to  house  to  tell  his  neighbors  about  the  light  and 
joy  he  had  found.  But,  contrary  to  his  expectation 
the  cold  shoulder  was  turned  to  him,  doors  were  closed 
against  him,  and  those  who  were  once  friends  no 
longer  received  him  as  before. 

His  was  too  deep  an  experience  for  these  things  to 
make  him  "give  it  up."  Though  he  was  repulsed,  yet 
the  Spirit  of  God  was  at  work,  and  some  of  these  soon 
yielded  to  Christ;  and  joy  and  rejoicing  ensued.  Bro. 
Howard  felt  that  he  must  preach,  and  he  became  one 
of  our  honored  and  beloved  ministers,  afterward  filling 
official  positions  in  our  Western  body.  He  too  now 
sleeps  awaiting  the  resurrection;  and  he  will  be  then 
among  the  saved,  with  his  sheaves. 

God  has  always  honored  the  preaching  of  his  pro- 
phetic Word,  and  he  always  will.  Nothing  will  take 
hold  of  the  infidel  as  will  this  preaching.  With  the 
prophecies  you  can  lay  a  firm  foundation;  establish 
the  truth  of  the  Bible,  yea,  of  the  whole  Bible.     The 


106  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

declaration  of  the  prophetic  truths  of  the  Bible  brought 
us  out  as  a  people,  and  without  the  prophetic  light  we 
never  would  have  been  a  people.  Let  us  not  hide  our 
light  under  a  bushel,  but  rather  let  it  shine,  and  study 
to  know  more,  of  the  prophecies.  Brethren,  preach 
them;  preach  them  often;  preach  them  faithfully! 
(and  that  means  believingly) . 

While  a  young  preacher,  Mr.  Spurgeon  preached  a 
sermon  on  Candles,  illustrated  by  candles  of  various 
kinds.  For  the  bushel,  to  put  one  under,  he  had  a 
bandbox.  He  expected  to  show  that  the  light  thus 
covered  up  would  go  out  for  want  of  air:  that  is  what 
the  light  under  the  bushel  will  generally  do.  But 
there  is  another  alternative;  and  on  that  occasion  the 
experiment  did  not  work  as  expected,  but  the  candle 
set  fire  to  the  bandbox,  and  burnt  it  up!  That  is  the 
only  other  possibility  when  a  light  is  covered  up;  and, 
either  way,  the  lesson  is:  Keep  your  bushels  off 
your  lights ! 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

A   TENT-MEETING  EXPERIENCE. 


Some  time  after  his  removal  from  Minnesota  to 
Wisconsin,  Bro.  Sheldon  was  invited  to  hold  a  tent- 
meeting  in  Northfield,  Minn.,  which  he  arranged  to  do. 

When  conducting  tent-meetings  it  was  his  custom 
to  have  a  small  tent  pitched  near  the  large  one,  in 
which  he  lodged,  and  watched  and  guarded  the  large 
tent;  for  he  seldom  had  a  tent-master.  He  also  usu- 
ally hauled  the  tent  and  its  equipage  from  place 
to  place  with  his  own  horse  and  wagon,  not  shipping 
it  by  railroad  unless  for  long  distances.  Arriving  at 
Northfield  with  the  tent,  he  labored  hard  putting  it 
up,  and  getting  it  ready  for  the  meetings  which  were 
to  begin  on  the  morrow. 

At  that  time  there  had  just  been  released  from  the 
jail  three  or  four  prisoners,  who  had  served  their 
time  of  punishment  for  a  bank  robbery  committed 
a  year  before,  and  these  criminals  were  making  things 
lively  on  the  streets  that  day.  Late  in  the  afternoon 
they  made  their  way  to  the  tent,  where  Bro.  S.  was 
still  at  work.  They  pushed  in  their  heads  and  de- 
manded to  know  when  meeting  was  to  commence. 
He  told  them  the  appointment  was  for  the  morrow; 
but  they  wanted  to  attend  meeting,  and  thought 
there  ought  to  be  one  then.  After  looking  around 
a  while,  they  disappeared. 

107 


108  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

A  little  later  a  brother  and  his  wife  came  by  team, 
to  be  in  attendance  at  the  meetings;  and  finding 
Bro.  S.  very  tired  with  his  day's  work  putting  up 
the  tent,  arranging  seats,  and  so  on,  and  in  need  of 
rest;  they  proposed  that  he  should  go  to  a  house 
near  by,  where  they  had  intended  to  stay,  and  get 
a  good  night's  sleep  before  beginning  the  meetings 
the  next  day.  He  objected,  but  finally  consented  to 
do  so;  the  brother  and  his  wife  taking  his  place  in 
the  small  tent. 

They  awoke  early  next  morning  to  find  that  some- 
thing had  gone  amiss  during  the  night.  The  small 
trunk  in  which  his  tracts  were  placed  (a  large  supply 
of  which  he  always  carried  with  him),  containing  also 
some  books,  and  some  clothing,  and  which  had  been 
placed  at  the  head  of  his  bed, — was  gone;  and  in 
its  place  there  lay  a  strange  ax. 

They  went  over  to  the  house  and  aroused  Bro.  S., 
telling  him  that  his  trunk  was  missing.  Being  thus 
suddenly  aroused,  he  sprang  out  of  bed,  and  was 
half-way  down  the  stairs  before  he  realized  that  he 
had  not  stopped  to  dress. 

Immediately  his  encounter  with  the  jail-birds  the 
day  before  came  to  his  mind.  They  all  believed  from 
the  circumstances  that  those  criminals  had  returned 
that  night  with  the  ax,  expecting  to  find  him  alone; 
but  finding  the  tent  occupied  by  two,  they  had  suc- 
ceeded in  removing  the  trunk  without  awaking  them; 
but,  without  doubt,  they  had  intended  using  the  ax, 
had  the  guardian  of  the  tent  resisted  them.  Search 
was  made  for  the  trunk  in  the  vicinity  of  the  tent, 
but  no  trace  of  it  could  be  found. 

Later  in  the  day,  some  brother  attending  the  meet- 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  109 

ing  was  watering  his  horses  down  at  the  river,  when 
he  saw  a  package  of  letters  tied  together  floating 
down.  These  he  secured,  and  found  them  addressed 
to  Bro.  Sheldon.  Following  this  clue,  they  started 
up  the  river,  and  about  a  mile  up  they  found  the 
till  of  the  trunk  in  a  clump  of  bushes,  a  few  feet 
from  the  shore.  Further  search  revealed  the  fact 
that  the  trunk,  with  most  of  its  contents,  had  been 
weighted  with  stones  and  sunk  in  the  river.  His 
dress  coat,  which  he  had  removed  and  placed  in  the 
trunk  the  day  before,  while  at  work,  and  which  had 
contained  the  letters  which  were  found  floating  down, 
and  also  about  SI 00,  which  was  in  the  coat,  was 
missing.  The  convicts  were  seen  no  more  in  that 
vicinity,  and  it  was  undoubtedly  they  who  did  the 
mischief. 

The  trunk,  with  its  books  and  tracts  was  raised 
from  the  river  bottom.  These  were  considerably  water- 
soaked  ;  and  to-day  there  are  some  books  in  his  book- 
case with  the  bindings  loosened  and  the  pages  stained, 
by  their  submergence  in  that  Minnesota  river.  Among 
these  books  was  a  Hebrew  Bible,  and  other  valuable 
books,  taken  along  for  use  in  study. 

It  always  seemed  that  Providence  interposed  and 
directed  that  he  should  not  stay  there  alone  that  night 
in  that  tent;  and  it  may  be  that  his  life  was  saved 
by  his  going  to  that  house  to  sleep;  for  he  would  al- 
most certainly  have  awakened.  And  that  ax  showed 
that  they  intended  to  make  use  of  it, — at  least  to 
defend  themselves;  and  it  might  have  been  the  in- 
tention to  use  it  if  the  sleeper  only  awoke.  But, 
"The  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them 
that  fear  him,  and  delivereth  them"  (Psa.  34:7). 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


ANSWERED    PRAYERS. 


"  And  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,   and  the    Lord 
shall  raise  him  up."     James  5:  15. 


Does  the  Lord  heal  the  sick  in  answer  to  the  prayer 
of  faith?  is  a  question  of  deep  interest  to  many  to-day. 
That  the  Lord  does  hear  and  answer  such  prayer,  is 
an  assured  fact.  As  illustrative  of  this  we  will  narrate, 
as  well  as  our  memory  will  permit,  an  experience 
which  Bro.  Sheldon  had  while  he  was  holding  meetings 
in  the  state  of  Missouri,  many  years  ago.  The  name 
of  the  town  we  do  not  now  recollect,  but  we,  (and 
others)  remember  hearing  the  facts  related  by  Bro. 
Sheldon. 

The  meetings  were  progressing  well,  and  the  interest 
at  high  tide,  there  being  numbers  arising  for  prayers, 
and  a  deep  conviction  resting  upon  the  people.  Near 
to  the  place  of  service  there  lived  a  highly  respected 
lady  who  was  very  sick.  She  had  a  large  circle  of 
relatives  and  acquaintances  who  were  deeply  interested 
in  her  case.  She  failed  rapidly,  and  sank  into  uncon- 
sciousness; and  the  physician  informed  the  family 
that  she  could  live  but  a  short  time;  and  that  she 
would  be  dead  before  certain  relatives,  a  few  miles 
away,  could  reach  her  bedside.  These  were  sent  for, 
and  came,  expecting  to  find  her  already  dead. 

When  informed  that  she  was  not  expected  to  live, 
110 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  Ill 

some  of  the  family,  not  willing  to  give  her  up,  insisted 
that  the  man  who  was  holding  the  meetings  should 
be  sent  for,  to  come  and  pray  for  her  recovery.  Hear- 
ing of  the  doctor's  decision,  Bro.  S.  felt  that  it  would 
be  useless;  but  they  urged  him  to  come.  Here  he 
had  an  inward  struggle.  On  the  one  hand,  he  did 
not  want  to  refuse  to  go;  on  the  other,  he  felt  that 
if  he  went  and  prayed  for  her  recovery,  and  she  should 
die,  it  would  be  detrimental  to  the  further  success  of 
the  meetings.  He  was  thus  in  a  strait.  He  believed 
that  it  would  be  useless  for  him  to  pray  without 
special  faith  that  the  prayer  was  according  to  the 
will  of  God,  and  would  be  granted. 

Being  still  urged,  he  went  to  the  house,  where  quite 
a  number  of  friends  were  gathered  expecting  to  see 
the  lady  die.  All  this  time  Bro,  S.  had  no  faith. 
Entering  her  room,  he  found  the  lady  unconscious, 
but  the  family  there  urged  him  to  pray  for  her  recov- 
ery. He  knelt  down  by  the  bedside  and  prayed,  but 
had  no  feeling  of  assurance.  Not  willing  to  give  up, 
for  they  had  faith  to  believe  the  Lord  would  heal  her, 
the  family  urged  him  to  pray  again.  Again  he  began 
to  pray;  and  soon  faith  began  to  be  given  him,  and 
he  prayed  on.  He  said  it  seemed  as  though  he  had 
been  carried  above  the  earth,  where  he  could  reach 
up  and  touch  the  very  throne  of  God.  The  power 
of  God  filled  and  thrilled  him  most  wonderfully,  and 
was  felt  by  all  present. 

Then  the  unconscious  woman  opened  her  eyes, 
began  shouting  and  praising  God,  and  soon  sat  upon 
the  edge  of  the  bed,  while  they  had  such  a  time  of 
rejoicing.  Some  of  the  relatives  from  a  distance 
arrived  just  then,  expecting  to  find  her  dead;    but 


112  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

there  she  was,  sitting  up,  praising  and  rejoicing.  After 
a  little  time  the  room  was  vacated  that  the  lady  might 
dress.  This  she  did,  soon  after  walking  out  into 
another  room,  where  she  shook  hands  with  the  friends 
there  gathered,  giving  to  each  some  word  fitted  to 
their  individual  need. 

There  was  no  meeting  spoiled  that  night  on  account 
of  an  unanswered  prayer  for  healing;  no,  indeed; 
but  the  Spirit's  power  was  there  sensibly  felt,  and 
a  grand  revival  followed.  The  next  night  the  lady 
herself  was  at  the  service,  and  testified  of  the  power 
of  God  to  heal.  Several  years  afterward  she  wrote  a 
letter  to  Bro.  Sheldon,  and  was  then  still  rejoicing  and 
praising  God. 

Bro.  S.  sometimes  expressed  his  thought  regarding 
"the  prayer  of  faith,"  as  related  to  such  cases.  It 
must  be  where  the  healing  will  be  to  the  glory  of 
God,  that  such  prayer  will  be  answered;  and,  that 
there  must  not  only  be  the  faith  in  Christ  which 
is  common  to  all  Christians,  but  also  a  special  faith, 
on  the  part  of  some  one  concerned.  In  this  case  it 
was  not  on  the  part  of  the  sick  one,  for  she  was  past 
consciousness;  it  was  not  on  his  part,  for  he  lacked 
faith  at  first;  but  members  of  the  family  did  have 
that  needed  special  faith,  which  was  afterwards  given 
to  him;  and  the  result  was,  the  sick  one  was  healed, 
to  the  glory  of  God. 

There  is  a  distinction  between  the  grace  of  faith, 
which  relies  upon  Christ  for  salvation,  and  the  gift 
of  faith  for  healing,  and  for  other  things,  in  answer  to 
prayer.  Salvation  is  promised  to  "whosoever  will," 
therefore  all  may,  and  must,  exercise  faith  upon  this 
promise,  or  testimony.     But  healing  is  not  promised  to 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  113 

all,  nor  at  all  times,  nor  in  all  cases:  there  is  no  Bible 
promise  of  this  upon  which  to  base  faith;  therefore 
it  cannot  be  exercised  unless  it  is  specially  given  for 
each  case,  and  to  each  person  who  thus  receives  it. 
In  the  above  case  all  did  not  have  it;  and  even  when 
some  (perhaps  but  one)  of  the  friends  had  it  Bro. 
Sheldon  had  it  not,  even  when  praying  and  trying 
to  believe, — until  it  was  infused  into  his  mind  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  "Now  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but 
the  same  Spirit.  .  .  .  For  to  one  [brother  or  sister 
in  Christ, — he  is  not  speaking  of  unbelievers,]  is  given, 
by  the  Spirit,  the  word  of  wisdom,  ...  to  another 
faith,  by  the  same  Spirit;  to  another  the  gifts  of 
healing,  by  the  same  Spirit."  See  1  Cor.  12:4-31. 
We  may,  and  should  pray  for  these  gifts,  as  we  come 
to  need  them;  but  we  cannot  command  them  from 
God,  or  have  them  in  every  case.  "Trophimus  have 
I  left  at  Miletum  sick."— Paul,  2  Tim.  4:20. 

How  does  this  statement  of  Paul  compare  with 
modern,  so-called  "divine  healing,"  practiced  perhaps 
by  misled  yet  good  people,  but,  also,  in  most  cases 
through  the  deception  of  the  devil's  agents?  Accept 
the  Bible  teaching  of  "faith  healing;"  give  God  the 
glory;  and  give  no  heed  to  "seducing  spirits  and 
doctrines  of  devils,"  or  to  the  "false  Christs"  and 
"false  prophets,"  who  "shall  show  great  signs  and 
wonders,  insomuch  that,  if  it  were  possible,  they  shall 
deceive  the  very  elect. "-(Matt.  24:24.) 

"The  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the 
Lord  shall  raise  him  up;" — when  God  by  his  Spirit 
especially  gives  the  faith  for  this  prayer. 

Another  case  of  answered  prayer,  for  another  kind 
of  healing — that  of  a  sin-sick  soul — comes  to  our  mind 


114  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

now,  having  occurred  in  our  home  city,  Brodhead, 
Wisconsin. 

For  many  years  there  had  lived,  six  or  seven  miles 
south  of  the  city,  a  man  who  had  become  rather  noted 
in  the  country  around  as  a  rough,  wicked  character. 
Before  coming  west  he  had  been  converted;  but  he 
left  the  state  of  Maine  when  young,  and  settled  in 
Wisconsin  when  it  was  wild  and  new,  and  "lost  his 
religion;"  becoming  reckless  and  profane,  and  giving 
up  his  hope  in  Christ. 

At  the  time  of  his  conversion,  which  was  under  the 
preaching  of  the  Advent  message  in  Maine,  he  had 
an  experience  the  like  of  which  was  not  then  uncom- 
mon. When  he  found  peace  in  Christ  he  had  the 
impression  that  he  saw  a  great  light  which  shone 
clearly  to  his  natural  eyesight,  and  which  gave  him 
the  assurance  that  he  had  received  the  pardon  of  his 
sins.  He  lived  a  life  of  faithful  service  for  a  time; 
but  on  coming  West  he  was  led  astray  from  the  path 
of  righteousness  and  thereafter  lived  a  life  of  open  sin. 

When  he  had  reached  the  age  of  about  seventy- 
five,  his  health  having  failed,  he  purchased  a  home 
in  town,  and  moved  in  to  spend  the  remainder  of 
his  days.  About  three  weeks  afterwards  he  was 
taken  seriously  ill,  and  he  realized  that  he  was  nearing 
the  end  of  life.  His  past  ill-spent  life  came  up  before 
him,  as  he  said,  like  a  great  black  cloud,  through 
which  he  could  see  no  ray  of  light  for  his  future,  and 
he  was  greatly  distressed.  That  former  Christian 
experience  came  also  to  his  memory;  that  light  of 
glory  that  had  once  surrounded  him!  could  he  ever 
see  that  again,  and  once  more  feel  the  assurance  that 
his  sins   were  forgiven?    He   reasoned   with   himself 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  115 

that  it  was  impossible.  His  sinful  life  disturbed  and 
distressed  him;  he  could  not  rest  nor  sleep,  nor  could 
he  die  thus.  He  tried  to  pray,  but  all  was  dark, 
dark;  and  hopelessness  took  hold  of  him. 

For  years  he  had  now  and  then  heard  Eld.  Sheldon 
preach.  He  believed  the  message  was  true,  and  had 
been  under  conviction  at  times  while  sitting  under 
his  preaching,  but  had  not  yielded.  In  his  distress 
of  mind  he  sent  for  him  to  come  to  his  bedside;  and 
he,  being  at  home,  went,  as  requested. 

The  old  gentleman  told  him  of  his  past  history, 
his  early  conversion  in  Maine,  his  having  given  up 
his  hope  in  Christ,  and  of  his  many  years  of  sin,  which 
rose  up  before  him  like  an  "exceeding  high  mountain." 
He  bewailed  his  lost  condition  and  feared  there  could 
be  no  salvation  for  him;  he  could  not  sleep,  nor 
could  he  die,  he  said,  with  such  a  burden  and  weight 
resting  upon  him.  Bro.  S.  talked  and  prayed  with 
him,  but  he  found  no  peace. 

He  visited  him  again  the  next  day,  and  again  talked 
and  prayed  with  him;  also  on  the  third  day.  Yet 
the  old  man  could  obtain  no  rest  nor  peace ;  nor  would 
he  be  satisfied  with  anything,  unless  he  should  again 
see  that  light!  Together  they  prayed,  the  old  man 
confessing  his  many  sins,  and  pleading  most  earnestly 
for  pardon.  That  third  night  the  peace  of  God  rested 
upon  him,  and  he  felt  the  assurance  of  having  his  sins 
pardoned  once  more;  and,  yes,  that  light  again  shone 
round  about  him;    and  he  rejoiced  and  praised  God. 

Peace  and  quiet  of  mind  were  given  him,  and  rest 
came  through  peaceful  sleep.  He  afterward  talked 
with  members  of  his  family,  telling  them  of  his  peace 
and  joy,  and  entreated  them  to  seek  for  and  obtain 


116  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

pardon.  The  next  morning,  when  Bro.  S.  called  on 
him,  he  requested  him  to  deliver  this  as  his  testimony, 
to  his  friends  at  his  funeral  service:  "Tell  them  I  am 
ready   to    go.     Glory  to  God!     Ready  to    go!" 

Now  we  must  make  a  few  remarks  lest  the  above 
should  be  taken  in  a  wrong  light.  Anxious  sinners 
are  filled  with  true  "joy  and  peace"  by  believing  in 
Jesus,  and  in  the  record  which  God  has  given  of  his 
Son.  It  is  "by  faith,"  that  is,  by  believing  the  testi- 
mony of  God  in  his  Word,  and  not  by  "feeling"  at 
all,  that  "we  have  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  The  thing  for  the  anxious  sinner  to 
do  is  to  believe  what  God  says — feeling  or  no  feeling; 
light  or  no  light.  Feeling  will  doubtless  follow;  still 
it  should  not  be  made  a  pre-requisite  to  the  acceptance 
of  God's  promised  pardon. 

But  we  are  poor  creatures,  and  the  Lord  is  very 
pitiful.  And  he  who  wet  Gideon's  fleece  for  a  sign 
to  him  might  cause  a  poor  man  to  think  he  saw  a 
light;  if  that  man  could  not  be  satisfied  without  it. 
But  do  not  from  this  demand  a  light,  or  anything 
else,  before  you  will  believe  God:  "Thou  shalt  not 
tempt  the  Lord  thy  God." 

Yes;  dear  unconverted  reader,  if  you  are  an  awak- 
ened, anxious  sinner,  there  is  pardon  and  peace,  for 
you  just  now,  by  only  looking  unto  Jesus  the  Lamb 
of  God,  slain  for  you.  And  it  may  be  obtained  even 
at  the  closing  hours  of  one's  life;  but  then  Satan 
will  do  his  best  to  hinder  you,  either  by  keeping  you 
asleep,  or  by  leading  you  to  despair;  and  you  will 
be  weak,  and  hardly  able  to  lift  up  the  eyes  of  your 
mind  to  the  cross  of  Calvary.  It  is  very  dangerous 
to  put  off  this  matter,  and  to  say  to  God's  Spirit 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  117 

"Go  thy  way  for  this  time;  when  I  have  a  convenient 
f:eason  I  will  call  for  thee." 

How  much  better  it  will  be  to  stand  before  Christ 
who  died  for  you,  and  present  to  him  a  well-spent 
life;  and  maybe  some  few  sheaves  of  gathered  grain; 
rather  than  to  give  Satan  our  best  days,  and  at  the 
close  of  a  life  worse  than  wasted  in  his  service  to  cast 
ourselves  on  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  a  slighted 
Savior.  Surely  no  young  reader  will  be  so  mean  as 
deliberately  to  purpose  this!  Give  yourself,  your 
all,  to  Christ  now,  now.  "They  that  seek  me  early 
shall  find  me,"  is  a  special  promise  to  the  young. 
Will  you? 

There  are  several  lessons  to  be  learned  from  the 
foregoing  narrative  of  facts.  Seek  them  out  for  your- 
selves. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

FAILING    HEALTH. 


From  the  time  that  Bro.  Sheldon  came  into  pos- 
session of  his  tent  he  labored  hard  during  the  tent- 
ing season,  often  preaching  twelve  or  fourteen  ser- 
mons a  week;  and  more  than  once  did  he  preach 
four  sermons  on  a  Sunday,  and  baptize,  besides  con- 
ducting social  services ;  and  usually,  when  in  new  places, 
he  had  to  do  his  own  singing. 

Such  tent  work  is  hard  on  a  preacher,  even  though 
he  is  favored  with  a  naturally  strong  constitution,  as 
Bro.  Sheldon  was.  His  natural  vigor  withstood  well 
the  many  exposures  and  wearing  experiences  of  his 
pioneer  days,  but  these  were  so  trying  that  it  had  to 
yield,  sooner  or  later,  to  the  constant  strain  put  upon  it. 

When  the  weather  no  longer  permitted  tent  work 
he  began  the  winter  campaigns;  arranging  preaching 
appointments,  and  holding  protracted  meetings.  One 
winter  in  the  later  sixties  he  started  out  with  his  horse 
and  cutter,  filling  appointments;  and  in  going  from 
Sauk  City  to  Castle's  Prairie,  in  Wisconsin,  he  was 
overtaken  by  a  severe,  and  blinding  snow-storm,  with 
the  thermometer  registering  more  than  twenty  degrees 
below  zero.  For  some  distance  his  way  lay  through 
a  strip  of  hazel  brush,  and  when  some  distance  into 
the  brush  a  blast  of  wind  carried  off  his  hat.     He 

118 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  119 

stopped  the  horse,  got  out,  and  ran  after  his  hat,  which 
the  wind  was  blowing  farther  and  farther  away,  until 
he  finally  captured  it;  but,  when  he  attempted  to  re- 
turn to  the  horse  and  cutter  he  could  not  see  where 
they  were,  because  of  the  blinding  storm,  and  his  own 
footprints  had  been  at  once  filled  up  by  the  drifting 
snow  so  that  he  could  not  retrace  them. 

Though  he  took  the  direction  back  against  the  wind 
the  best  he  could,  the  storm  was  so  bewildering  that 
he  wandered  about  for  some  time  in  that  hazel  brush, 
and  was  nearly  frozen  before  he  found  his  horse  and 
cutter.  A  drive  of  some  four  miles  brought  him  to 
the  home  of  that  good  old  couple,  so  well  known  then 
in  Wisconsin,  Deacon  Thomas  and  wife.  Sister  Thomas 
had  been  a  trained  nurse  in  a  hospital,  in  Worcester, 
Mass.,  and  she  at  once  began  to  treat  the  nearly  frozen 
man,  applying  home  remedies;  thus  making  him  com- 
fortable, and  averting,  for  that  immediate  time,  a 
sickness  from  the  exposure.  He  was  able  to  fill  his 
appointment  the  next  day. 

Another  appointment  was  made  for  two  weeks 
ahead.  This  he  managed  to  fill;  but  then  found  he 
would  be  compelled  to  remain  at  the  deacon's  for  a 
time,  for  he  there  came  down  with  a  raging  fever 
which  continued  for  three  weeks. 

Sister  Thomas  nursed  him  well,  but  he  grew  worse, 
alarming  them  so  that  the  deacon  sent  a  team  to  his 
home  and  brought  his  wife.  He  was  so  sick  that  he 
was  given  up  to  die  by  the  doctor,  nurse,  wife,  and 
friends ;  but  the  Lord  spared  his  life. 

From  the  time  of  this  sickness  he  was  obliged  to  re- 
main comparatively  inactive  until  spring ;  and  it  seemed 
that  his  constitution  was  then  weakened,  so  that  he 


120  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

never  entirely  regained  his  former  rugged  health.  Al- 
though he  labored  hard  and  constantly  in  after  years, 
the  work  told  on  him  more  than  formerly. 

In  the  winter  of  1867-8  he  had  another  severe  and 
trying  illness,  brought  on  by  overwork  and  exposure. 
He  was  holding  meetings  at  Postville,  in  Southern 
Wis.,  and  nights  after  being  overheated  by  preaching, 
he  would  ride  some  five  miles  to  his  stopping-place. 
This  exposure  was  too  much  for  his  already  weakened 
constitution,  and  a  long  sickness  and  nervous  prostra- 
tion resulted;  after  which  his  health  was  never  good, 
though  it  improved  somewhat  after  a  time. 

The  next  spring,  in  May,  1868,  he  moved  his  family 
from  Baraboo,  where  he  had  resided  for  four  years, 
and  where  their  second  and  youngest  daughter  was 
born,  to  Brodhead,  Green  Co.,  a  beautiful  little  town 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  which  was  thereafter 
his  home. 

He  had  labored  more  or  less  in  Brodhead  and  vicinity 
for  two  seasons,  and  had  worked  up  an  interest,  and 
the  brethren  strongly  urged  that  he  should  locate 
among  them.  Just  south  of  the  town,  in  the  township 
of  Avon,  he  had  labored  and  brought  several  strong 
men  and  their  wives  out  of  the  bondage  of  the  law 
(Seventh-day  Sabbath  keeping),  into  the  freedom  of 
the  gospel;  also  he  had  pitched  his  tent  two  summers 
in  Brodhead,  and  these  meetings  had  resulted  in  re- 
claiming some  backsliders,  enlightening  the  people, 
bringing  many  to  Christ,  and  establishing  one  of  the 
strongest  of  Western  A.  C.  churches.  This  church 
contained  a  large  number  of  members  of  unusual  moral 
and  intellectual  strength,  who  were  "rooted  and 
grounded"  in  the  truths  of  the  Word,  and  able  and 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  121 

ready  at  any  time  to  give  a  Scriptural  "reason"  for 
their  hope.  It  was  often  remarked  that  this  was  "a 
church  of  preachers,"  for  most  of  them  could  discourse 
intelligently,  on  many  Bible  subjects. 

After  the  removal  of  the  family  home  to  Brodhead, 
he  spent  a  few  weeks  at  a  Water-Cure  in  Monroe,  the 
county-seat  of  Green  Co.,  Wis.,  and  was  somewhat  im- 
proved in  health  by  the  treatment;  a  little  later  he 
went  to  Dr.  A.  Spaulding's  at  Aurora,  111.,  and  received 
electrical  treatment  from  him  with  further  benefit;  but 
did  not  regain  his  former  power  of  endurance. 

In  the  summer  of  his  removal  to  Brodhead  a  third 
tent-meeting  was  held  there,  in  which  Elders  J.  V. 
Himes  and  Wm.  Sheldon  labored  side  by  side,  and  a 
grandly  successful  meeting  was  the  result.  The 
brethren  and  sisters  were  thoroughly  awake,  shouting 
and  rejoicing;  and  in  this  frame  of  mind  quite  a  number 
of  them  went  on  to  the  Southern  Wis.  camp-meeting, 
which  followed  directly,  and  was  held  at  Paoli,  Wis., 
some  thirty  miles  distant.  This  camp  was  quite  largely 
attended  by  our  people  of  the  state, — many  brought 
the  unconverted  members  of  their  families  with  them, — 
and  the  fire  and  enthusiasm  of  the  tent  meeting  was 
carried  to  the  campmeeting,  and  in  turn  carried  to 
their  various  homes  by  its  attendants.  At  the  camp- 
meeting  many  were  converted,  and  large  numbers 
baptized:  at  one  baptismal  service  Bro.  Sheldon  led 
twenty-nine  down  into  the  watery  grave,  among  whom 
was  his  eldest  child,  his  daughter  Jennie. 

This  was  in  '68,  remember,  when  we  were  in  ex- 
pectation of  the  Lord's  very  soon  coming. 

With  the  break  in  his  health,  Bro.  S.  was  compelled 
to  remain  more  at  home  than  formerly,  and  though 


122  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

he  often  went  out  and  held  meetings,  for  a  number  of 
years  longer,  yet  his  stays  at  home  were  more 
lengthy,  and  evidences  of  poor  health  were  plainly 
visible.  Yet  his  regret  was  not  that  he  had  worn  him- 
self out  in  the  service  of  Christ,  but  rather  that  he  had 
not  been  able  to  do  more;  and  that  he  was  unable  to 
do  then  as  he  had  "done  formerly. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

STUDYING   AND    WRITING. 


Even  while  closely  engaged  in  revival  and  tent  work, 
Bro.  Sheldon  always  spent  considerable  time  in  study, 
and  in  writing;  contributing  reports  and  articles  more 
or  less  frequently  to  our  papers.  He  also  wrote,  and 
had  printed,  many  tracts  bearing  on- points  of  our  faith. 
He  always  made  it  a  point  to  be  well  supplied  with 
tracts,  of  his  own,  or  others'  writing;  and  thousands  on 
thousands  of  these  has  he  distributed  far  and  wide  over 
the  Western  prairies,  and  many  have  been  led  to  see 
and  embrace  the  truths  of  God's  Word  through  the 
reading  of  some  tract. 

He  felt  that  these  little  silent  messengers  were  a 
potent  factor  in  the  promulgation  of  the  gospel  in  new 
fields,  and  always  made  them  prominent  in  his  labors. 
They  were  chiefly  distributed  gratuitously.  It  would 
be  gratifying  to  see  much  more  use  made  of  these 
"printed  preachers "  to-day,  for  they  would  still  ac- 
complish a  work  that  other  means,  without  them,  may 
measurably  fail  to  accomplish.  They  say  their  say 
over  and  over,  as  often  as  they  are  called  on;  they 
never  get  into  a  debate  and  get  excited ;  and  their  reader 
can  calmly  study  them,  and  their  subjects,  at  leisure. 
Thus  they  have  some  advantages  over  spoken  words. 
And  the  standard  doctrinal  tracts  are  as  good  to-day 
as  ever  they  were. 

123 


124  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

The  following  letter,  found  among  others,  illustrates 
the  effect  of  tract  distribution,  and  v,'e  insert  it  to  show 
how  even  some  weak,  timid  child  of  God  may  be  in- 
strumental in  doing  a  great  work  for  him,  simply  by 
giving  some  little  tract  to  a  friend  or  stranger,  "Cast 
thy  bread  upon  the  waters :  for  thou  shalt  find  it  after 
many  days  "  (Eccl.  11:1). 

"Normal,  III.,  March  26,  1894. 
"  Bro.  Sheldon: — Years  ago,  say  perhaps  from  '64 
to  '66,  I  was  visiting  in  Indiana,  and  while  there  my 
brother  and  I  were  going  along  the  road,  and  we  met 
a  man,  and  he  gave  us  some  tracts.  And  among  the 
number  was  one  entitled:  Think  For  Yourself: 
and  it  did  set  me  to  thinking;  although  it  was  years 
before  I  took  a  decided  stand.  But  I  think  that  tract 
was  the  entering  wedge  that  finally  landed  me  in  the 
Advent  camp. 

"I  never  forgot  the  title  of  the  tract,  but  the  author's 
name  was  forgotten.  The  other  day,  an  old  A.  C. 
Times  fell  into  my  hands,  and  there  I  discovered  who 
was  the  author  of  the  tract ;  and  after  all  these  years  I 
want  to  thank  you  for  writing  it. 

"Your  Brother  in  Christ, 

"T.  B.  Sturgis." 

As  inability  to  use  his  strength  in  the  open  field  so 
constantly  as  formerly,  fastened  itself  upon  him, 
Bro.  S., — never  content  to  be  idle  for  a  moment — 
gave  himself  up  more  fully  to  study,  and  the  thorough 
investigation  of  many  points  of  teaching  related  to  the 
Word  of  God.  His  study  was  not  just  looking  over 
the  morning  paper;  or  reading  a  chapter  in  the  Bible; 
or  bringing  together  a  few  items   wTought   out    by 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  125 

others'  research,  to  make  up  a  well-sounding  thirty 
minute  essay,  to  be  read  on  a  Sunday  morning;  but  he 
gave  himself  up  to  research,  going  to  the  very  founda- 
tion of  whatever  subject  he  took  up. 

Days,  nights,  weeks,  months,  years,  were  devoted  to 
study,  hard  solid  study.  The  "  midnight  oil "  not  only 
burned  at  midnight,  but  frequently  till  two,  or  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  so  absorbed  was  he  in  the  sub- 
jects; then  after  a  few  hours  he  would  be  up  and  into 
his  study  again.  Many  times  has  he  risen  after  having 
retired  for  the  night,  to  write  down  thoughts  that  came 
to  him  while  still  musing  upon  his  bed,  his  mind  too 
active  to  sleep;  and  which  he  did  not  wish  to  risk  for- 
getting. 

Many  problems  have  been  solved  in  this  way.  Nor 
would  he  give  up  any  line  of  research  which  he  had  be- 
gun, (except  it  was  temporarily),  until  he  had  mastered 
it  to  his  own  satisfaction,  though  it  took  years  to 
finish  it. 

Points  that  he  was  unable  to  get  a  full  knowledge 
of  through  works  at  his  command  were  made  note  of, 
and  when  an  opportunity  presented  itself  other  books 
were  looked  into,  and  further  information  noted  for 
future  use.  In  his  travels  he  has  consulted  libraries 
from  Boston  to  San  Francisco;  and  often,  instead  of 
using  time  for  recreation,  sight-seeing,  or  pleasure,  at 
such  places,  he  has  used  it  to  search  through  works  not 
to  be  found  everywhere,  to  secure  facts  which  have 
afterwards  been  used  with  telling  effect.  Students  of 
his  stamp  and  depth  are  not  run  across  every  day. 

After  weeks,  months,  and  in  some  instances  years 
of  research — which  might  be  literally  re-search;  not 
taking  others'  words  for  it,  but  verifying  personally, — 


126  LIFE  OF  SHELDOX. 

he  has  penned  the  results  of  his  labors, — for  labors 
they  were,  just  as  really  as  any  man's  who  ever  labored 
at  manual  work, — and  thus  has  given  and  left  to  the 
world  what  may  without  exaggeration  be  termed  a 
rich  store  of  productions,  published  and  unpublished; 
in  the  form  of  tracts,  pamphlets,  books,  articles,  and 
manuscript.  In  the  production  of  these,  research  in 
various  directions  was  made,  and  language,  history, 
science,  and  astronomy,  have  been  brought  to  bear  in 
establishing  questions  relating  to  Biblical  knowledge; 
so  that,  to  his  mind,  many  points  were  settled  beyond 
the  possibility  of  a  doubt. 

The  first  tract  that  he  vrrote  was  printed  in  1853, — 
49  years  ago.  It  was  called,  "The  Gospel  Vindicator: 
or  Bible  Truth-Defender,"  and  contained  187  closely 
printed  pages.  To  show  the  scope  of  this  work,  and 
the  range  of  his  theology  at  that  early  date,  we  give 
its  page  headings:  "Rules  of  investigation — death 
and  resurrection — immortality — man  in  death  —  in- 
termediate state — time  of  reward — place  of  reward — 
wages  of  sin — admonitions — Christ's  coming — the  four 
kingdoms — the  kingdom  of  God — premillennial  advent 
— apostasy — non-immortaUty  of  man — views  of  prim- 
itive Christians — opinions  of  eminent  men — Scripture 
testimony — soul  and  spirit."  This  is  quite  a  "body 
of  di\Tiiity ; "  and  no  doubt  did  good  work. 

A  21  page  tract  comes  next,  on:  "The  Seven  Seals: 
with  Scriptural  facts  concerning  the  Four  Angels,  the 
Four  Winds,  the  Sealing  Angel,  the  Seal  of  the  living 
God,  the  144.000.  and  the  Silence  in  Heaven."  This 
is  on  the  prophetic  line,  as  you  will  see.  A  third  tract 
(perhaps)  was  "The  Key  of  Truth,"  12  pages  only,  but 
which  has  done  great  service, — perhaps  as  much  as 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  127 

any  one  of  his  productions, — and  it  is  yet  in  use.  On 
its  cover  page  was  printed:  "For  gratuitous  circu- 
lation;" and  it  was  scattered  by  the  tens  of  thousands, 
gratuitously. 

Among  his  other  printed  works;  we  mention,  The 
King  of  Glory;"  a  48  page  prophetic  work;  "The  Com- 
ing Judgment:  its  Necessity  and  Results;"  "Christ's 
Kingdom  Not  of  This  World;"  " The  Scriptural  Doc- 
trine of  Eternal  Damnation,"  45  pages;  "Rise  of  the 
Man  of  Sin;"  "Apocalyptic  Symbols  Examined,"  71 
pages;  "The  Next  Dispensation,  Viewed  in  the  Light 
of  Revelation,"  70  pages;  "The  Disembodied  State 
Examined,"  42  pages;  "What  is  the  Soul?"  "Immor- 
tality: or  Does  Death  Kill?"  "Materialism,  as  Related 
to  the  World  to  Come;"  "Ghostology;"  "The  Visions 
and  Theories  of  the  Prophetess  Ellen  G.  White,  in 
Conflict  with  the  Bible;"  "A  Sermon  on  Hell;"  "Is  the 
Coming  of  the  Lord  Near?"  "Dodging  the  Truth  on 
Prophetic  Time;"  "The  Last  Generation;"  "The  King 
of  the  Jews; "  "  Seventh  Day  Sabbath  Claims  Refuted; " 
"The  Approaching  Consummation;"  "The  Thousand 
Years  of  the  Dragon's  Bondage;"  "The  Reign  of 
Messiah  on  the  Throne  of  his  Father,  David;"  "Daniel's 
Drama;"  "Symbolic  Prophecy  Explained;"  "The 
Kingdom  to  Come;"  "Sabbatical  Claims  Not  Valid, 
and  Valid  Sunday  Claims;"  "Futurity:  or  the  Here- 
after of  All  Men;"  "Immaterialism;"  "Why  Don't 
God  Kill  the  Devil?"  "The  New  Jerusalem  Sanctuary;" 
"The  Upper  Sanctuary  Cleansed  on  False  Time;" 
"Stop  and  Think." 

Of  a  larger  size,  he  wrote:  "  Adventism:  What  is  it?" 
a  cloth  bound  book  of  310  pages,  published  in  1868; 
when  it  was  spoken  of  as  "the  book  for    the  times." 


128  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

"The  very  name,  Adventism,  sent  a  thrill  through 
the  whole  body."  "  'Adventism'  was  published  last 
week,  and  in  less  than  three  days  nearly  every  copy 
was  gone.  We  have  never  published  any  work  for 
which  there  was  such  a  call,  or  so  rapid  a  sale.  .  .  . 
It  is  the  most  important  book  we  have  issued  from 
the  press.  We  have  hitherto  felt  the  need  of  a  work 
that  we  could  hand  to  inquirers  after  truth:  that  need 
is  now  supplied." — Voice  of  the  West. 

"We  are  delighted  with  it  ('Adventism').  The 
points  are  clear,  and  well  put.  It  is  just  what  is 
needed  for  the  present  time." — Crisis. 

He  also  wrote:  "Mormonism  Examined,"  a  paper 
covered  volume  of  184  pages,  published  in  1876.  It 
is  an  exposure  of  plain  self-contradictions  in  the 
Mormon  inspired  (?)  books,  and  a  refutation  of  their 
doctrines.  Every  one  in  contact  with  Mormonism  of 
any  kind  should  get  it,  and  get  posted.  Of  this  work 
Eld.  D.  T.  Taylor  wrote:  "Mormonism  is  a  stench  in 
the  nostrils  of  heaven,  and  a  stain  on  the  nation's 
honor.  It  is  a  huge  imposture  that  only  deserves  to 
die.  Elder  William  Sheldon  has  done  service  to  the 
whole  country  in  exposing  the  inconsistencies,  con- 
tradictions, and  falsity  of  the  claims  of  the  Mormon 
founders,  and  leaders,  and  his  book  should  be  widely 
circulated  and  read  by  those  who  wish  our  land  freed 
from  this  polygamous  system  of  error,  lying  and  lust. 
His  sharp  trenchant .  pen  will  interest  you.  The  ex- 
pose is  thorough  and  well  done." 

It  is  important  to  notice  here  the  re-paging  of  the 
Mormon  books;  so  we  add  the  following: 

"When  I  wrote  my  review  on  Mormonism,  I  fre- 
quently referred  to  chapter  and  verse  as  given  in  all 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  129 

Mormon  editions  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  then  extant. 
Of  late  a  new  edition  has  been  issued,  changing  the 
former  divisions  of  the  book,  so  that  my  quotations 
cannot  be  found — being  sometimes  40  or  50  verses 
away  from  the  one  cited.  Their  ministers  take  this 
new  edition  into  the  desk,  read  quotations  from  my 
book,  and  then  read  the  chapter  and  verse  cited,  from 
the  new  edition,  and  accuse  me  of  falsifying  the  Book 
of  Mormon,  and  ask  anybody  in  the  congregation  to 
come  up  and  compare  the  works.  Some  of  my  own 
brethren  have  been  thus  deceived.  One  Bro.  (Eld. 
Gardner)  sent  for  my  book  to  compare  with  this  new 
edition,  finding  all  my  quotations  right  but  not  to  be 
found  by  chapter  and  verse  in  the  new  edition. 

"This  was  the  best  way  they  could  escape  th^  points 
made  against  them.  If  they  went  to  all  this  expense 
in  getting  out  a  new  edition  to  throw  dust  into  the 
readers*  eyes  who  read  my  book,  it  will  stick  to  them  as 
a  dishonest  trick.  Look  out  for  the  trick.  It  will  be 
practiced  till  the  trick  is  exposed  far  and  near.    w.  s." 

"Prophecy  and  Chronology  Made  Plain,"  is  another 
work  of  his,  a  cloth-bound  book. 

"Life  Beyond  Death,  in  the  Home  of  the  Holy," 
was  published  in  1871,  in  paper  covers.  It  was  scat- 
tered extensively,  and  has  done  much  to  bring  many 
into  clearer  light.  Thousands  of  this  work  were 
scattered  by  Bro.  S.  at  his  own  expense,  during  mis- 
sionary trips.  Bro.  H.  A.  King  mentioned  the  fact 
that  this  work  "was  the  means  of  leading  the  Rev. 
Geo.  R.  ICramer  out  of  fable-land  into  the  light  of 
truth."  Nor  was  he  the  only  minister  who  had  his 
eyes  opened  by  it.  In  the  South,  a  Baptist  minister 
undertook  to  review  it  publicly,  and  gave  notice  that 


130  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

he  would  do  so  at  a  date  two  weeks  ahead.  He  com- 
menced his  preparation,  but  before  the  two  weeks 
were  up  he  handed  the  work  over  to  a  second  Baptist 
preacher,  requesting  him  to  review  it  at  a  certain 
time.  He  undertook  the  work;  but  finally  he  too 
passed  it  on  to  a  third,  with  a  similar  request.  The 
like  was  done  again  and  again,  until  the  book  passed 
through  the  hands  of  six  Baptist  ministers,  none  of 
whom  "reviewed"  it;  but  each  of  whom  began  to 
preach  the  truths  learned  from  the  book  in  their  efforts 
to  refute  its  arguments.  Here  we  cannot  but  insert 
the  following  extracts : 

"This  morning.  May  4  (1875),  we  came  back  with 
Brn.  Bankson  and  Livingston"  [the  latter  father  of 
Elder  Milton  M.  Livingston,  now  at  Mendota  College, 
111.]  .  .  .  "The  truth  here  [—Spring  Creek,  Ala.] 
has  spread  like  wild-fire,  just  from  that  one  copy  of 
'Life  Beyond  Death.'  There  are  five  ministers 
already  breasting  the  storm,  and  they  will  not  flinch 
for  love  or  money."  ( — Cargile's  Autobiography; 
p.  259.) 

"Shortly  after  the  war  a  ripple  of  excitement  blew 
over  the  religious  waters  in  this  section,  caused  by 
some  religious  tracts  circulating,  which  proclaimed 
the  speedy  coming  of  the  Savior  to  earth.  Soon  after 
this  Adventism  began  to  be  preached.  A  worthy 
Baptist  minister,  Rev.  J.  J.  Smith,  being  among  its 
earliest  advocates.     .     .     . 

"About  a  year  ago  Rev.  Hezekiah  H.  Davis  came, 
with  a  lady  preacher,  Mrs.  Hattie  B.  Hastings,  who  re- 
vived things  wonderfully.  .  .  .  After  them  came 
Rev.  William  Sheldon,  of  Wisconsin,  who  was  many 
heads  and  shoulders  above  his  predecessors.     He  was 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  131 

a  scholar  as  well  as  an  orator,  and  a  man  of  decided 
ability."  (From  Stevenson,  Ala.,  New  Era,  1873;  in 
Cargile's  Autobiography,  p.  86.) 

In  this  connection  we  extract  from  an  old  Crisis, 
as  follows: 

"news  from  the  south. 

"I  am  receiving  good  news  from  the  South;  not  only 
from  Bro.  Bowman,  but  from  other  portions  of  the 
South.  One  brother,  to  whom  I  sent  'Life  Beyond 
Death,'  sat  up  nearly  all  night  to  read  it  through,  and 
then  carefully  re-read  it  afterwards,  and  is  now  re- 
joicing in  the  truth.  In  another  section  several  have 
already  been  turned  out  of  the  Baptist  church  for 
advocating  our  views  on  the  soon  coming  of  Christ 
and  kindred  doctrines,  including  one  Baptist  minister. 
Another  Baptist  minister  writes  me — 'I  think  it  prob- 
able that  we  will  have  a  stir  in  our  Association  before 
long;'  and  this  minister  has  already  come  out  clear 
on  the  whole  truth,  and  is  calling  for  works  on  the  life 
and  death  theme  to  scatter,  which  I  am  sending  him. 
It  will  be  time  to  make  his  name  and  locality  public 
when  they  turn  him  into  the  gospel  field  more  fully. 
God  bless  him.  I  am  still  sending  works  south,  and 
shall  continue  to  do  so  as  long  as  I  can  get  funds,  for 
my  heart  is  moved  for  that  poverty-stricken  and 
destitute  field.     May  God  water  the  seed. 

"I  reserve  other  items  of  news  for  another  note,  only 
adding  that  in  some  parts  the  clergy  are  stirred  up 
to  preach  'against  us,  but  none  who  have  read  the 
lyor/cs  sent  are  affected  by  it.     "w.  s." 

"A  Convert  to  the  Truth. — At  our  recent  camp- 
meeting  in  Western  Wisconsin,  I  formed  the  acquaint- 


132  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

ance  of  a  Bro.  Foster,  who  has  been  for  thirty  years  an 
efficient  Methodist  clergyman,  and  who  has  recently 
embraced  the  truth  held  by  our  people,  and  has  avowed 
his  intentions  to  leave  that  church,  and  unite  with  us 
without  delay.  Nor  has  he  stepped  out  so  boldly  with- 
out candid  deliberation.  In  a  public  discourse  he  gave 
the  following  outline  of  his  experience,  which  is  calcu- 
lated to  encourage  others  to  sow  the  seed  of  truth  by 
scattering  reading  matter,  though  they  may  not  always 
witness  present  results. 

"Some  twelve  or  fifteen  years  ago  he  was  invited  to 
read  some  tracts  which  I  scattered  in  the  western  part 
of  this  State.  He  hated  the  doctrine  they  set  forth,  and 
was  determined  not  to  believe  it.  The  tracts  presented 
such  strong  arguments,  however,  that  he  was  fully 
convinced  that  he  could  not  meet  them ;  so  he  resolved 
to  lay  them  aside  only  partly  read.  He  did  so;  but  the 
impressions  then  made  were  never  shaken  off.  Within 
the  past  year  or  two  he  has  been  reading  other  produc- 
tions, and  has  accepted  the  truth,  and  commenced 
preaching  it,  and  a  part  of  his  congregation  have  also 
embraced  it.  We  are  glad  to  welcome  to  our  midst  a 
man  of  so  much  experience,  and  so  good  a  talent,  to 
help  us. 

"Let  others  take  courage  in  the  work  of  tract  distri- 
bution. These  tracts  may,  as  in  this  case,  if  they  do 
not  produce  present  results,  pave  the  way  for  future 
good.  Scatter  the  seed  everywhere.  If  some  'kick 
against  the  pricks,'  and  get  hurt,  and  grumble  about  it, 
and  splash  around  like  a  whale  with  a  harpoon  in  him, 
for  a  time,  they  may  yield  after  a  while.  Keep  sowing 
the  seed  of  truth  in  the  form  of  tracts.  "  w.  s." 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  133 

"A  Note  from  Georgia, — I  did  not  know  but  my 
labor  was  lost  in  one  Southern  town  till  I  received  this 
note : — 

"  'Mr.Wm.  Sheldon  : — Dear  Sir,  and  Bro.  in  Christ : — 
It  has  been,  as  near  as  I  can  remember,  about  eighteen 
months  since  your  visit  to  this  place,  and  ever  since  then 
I  have  read  and  studied  those  tracts  you  gave  me,  with 
great  pleasure,  and  find  that  they  have  given  me  more 
light  upon  Scripture  than  any  other  work  I  ever  read; 
for  they  have  filled  me  with  fresh  hopes,  life  and  vigor; 
and  they  are  to  me  as  a  crutch  is  to  a  lame  man;  and 
with  that  crutch  and  God's  Word  and  the  spirit  of  love, 
softened  and  purified  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  think  there 
is  no  man  on  earth  who  can  disprove  their  teachings. 
Dear  brother,  I  feel  that  the  veil  is  withdrawn,  and  the 
true  light  now  shineth.  Glory  to  God,  for  'Ghostol- 
ogy,'  'Kingdom  to  Come,'  'Death  and  the  Dead,'  'Im- 
materialism,'  and  the  'Coming  Judgment;'  they  are  all 
so  brimful  of  light  and  truth  that  they  have  opened  my 
mouth,  and  caused  gratitude  to  flow  from  my  heart 
day  and  night ;  not  at  the  family  altar  alone,  but  also  in 
my  work-shop,  to  my  customers,  friends,  and  neigh- 
bors, and  there  are  some  who  hear  the  words  of  eternal 
life  through  Jesus  who  alone  is  the  life-giving  power, 
and  some  who  reject  and  are  hewing  out  for  themselves 
cisterns  that  hold  no  water.  I  am  rejoicing  in  the 
hopes  of  shouting  glory  over  death,  and  him  that  hath 
the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil.  Then  our  mortal 
body  will  be  changed  to  one  that  cannot  know  grief, 
suffering  or  death;  then  shall  we  be  fitting  subjects  for 
our  immortal  King  when  he  comes  to  take  his  king- 
dom; then  with  all  the  redeemed  shall  we  shout  ho- 


134  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

sannah  to  the  Son  of  David.  Men  talk  about  the  beau- 
tiful music  now,  what  will  it  be  to  that  of  the  just  made 
perfect? 

"I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  writing  to  you,  but  I 
want  you  to  know  your  labors  are  not  lost,  and  also  to 
pay  for  my  paper;  and  I  want  you  to  select  me  some 
more  of  the  most  heart-searching  tracts  you  can  get, 
not  forgetting  your  own,  for  my  others  are  all  dis- 
tributed.' 

"May  God  bless  this  brother  in  his  efforts  to  sow  the 
seed  in  the  South,  to  enlighten  others. 

"w.  s." 

We  also  take  the  liberty  of  here  giving  the  following 
recent  letter: 

"St.  Louis,  Mo.,  June  22,   1902 

"Miss  Lucy  Sheldon:  Dear  Sister: — I  feel  moved 
to  express  at  this  late  date,  a  few  of  my  thoughts  in  re- 
gard to  your  dear  father,  in  connection  with  my  con- 
version to  the  doctrine  of  conditional  immortality, 

"In  February,  1868,  some  tracts  of  his  early  writings 
chanced  to  fall  into  my  hands;  principally  on  the  sub- 
jects of  the  Time  and  Place  of  Reward.  Also  the 
'Reign  of  Christ  on  the  throne  of  his  father  David.' 
After  five  years  of  investigation  I  became  convinced  of 
the  truths  taught  by  the  A.  C.  Church;  but  for  twenty 
years  questions  pertaining  to  the  meaning  of  certain 
passages  of  Scripture  would  come  to  my  mind,  and  my 
first  thought  always  was,  to  write  him  my  question; 
but  I  never  had  to  do  it,  for  in  a  few  days,  or  weeks  at 
the  farthest,  on  turning  to  his  department  of  our  church 
papers  my  thoughts  or  questions  would  be  expounded 
to  my  entire  satisfaction;  until  I  quit  thinking  of  writ- 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  135 

ing  my  questions,  knowing  all  that  I  had  to  do  was  to 
wait  a  little  while,  and  everything  would  be  made 
plain  to  me. 

The  only  time  I  ever  met  him  was  at  Forreston,  lU., 

in  June,   1881 His  last  article,  'A  Stroll 

through  Paradise,'  impressed  me  greatly. 

"May  God  grant  that  we  may  meet  and  enjoy  that 
stroll,  as  well  as  bask  in  the  sunshine  of  the  kingdom 
nder  the  whole  heavens,  is  my  prayer. 

"J.  Harvey  Melven." 

Many  more  cases  might  be  recorded  here  of  indi- 
viduals being  enlightened,  or  started  on  the  way  to  en- 
lightenment, through  the  reading  of  a  tract.  It  seems 
that  to-day  we  are  in  general  too  neglectful  of  this 
means  of  scattering  the  words  of  truth  and  salvation. 
In  former  days  some  always  had  a  selection  of  tracts 
in  their  pocket,  to  hand  out  whenever  there  was  a  good 
opportunity.  Even  a  weak  child  of  God  can  hand 
out  an  appropriate  tract;  which  is  better  than  indis- 
criminate scattering.  "Blessed  are  ye  that  sow 
beside  all  waters"  (Isa.  32:  20), — that  is,  in  favorable 
locations. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

EDITORIAL    WORK. 


For  many  years  our  brother  had  been  a  frequent 
contributor  to  our  denominational  papers :  The  World's 
Crisis,  in  the  East;  and  The  Voice  of  the  West,  in  the 
West;  and  his  writings  came  to  be  in  demand,  so  that 
he  was  afterwards  placed  in  an  editorial  relation  to 
several  papers. 

In  1870  he  was  elected  to  the  position  of  Corre- 
sponding Editor  of  The  World's  Crisis;  later  he  was 
Western  Corresponding  Editor;  and  his  department 
in  the  Crisis  was  headed,  "Western  Editorials."  This 
official  connection  with  the  Crisis  was  continued  until 
the  fall  of  1889  (when  the  Western  territory  was  set 
off,  with  "Our  Hope"  as  its  organ);  with  the  excep- 
tion of  about  two  years  when  he  was  the  Office  Editor 
of  the  A.  C.  Times. 

He  was  always  a  staunch  friend  of  the  Crisis.  Many 
years  of  labor  in  writing  articles  were  given  to  our 
people  through  that  national,  and  later.  Eastern  organ. 
Eld.  F.  L.  Piper,  the  present  editor  of  the  Crisis,  says: 
"No  paper  has  been  placed  under  such  long-standing 
obligation  for  his  writings  as  has  The  World's  Crisis. 
Soon  after  the  paper  was  established  in  1854,  Bro. 
Sheldon  became  a  contributor.  First  he  appeared  in 
brief  letters  and  reports,  and  later  in  articles." 

136 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  137 

During  his  editorial  connection,  through  seventeen 
years,  with  that  paper,  he  labored  conjointly  with  Miles 
Grant,  John  Couch,  and  E.  A.  Stockman,  who  in 
succession  were  its  Office  Editors  during  that  time. 

The  Adventist  interests  of  the  West,  on  account  of 
growth  and  geographical  position,  came  in  time  to 
need  an  official  organ  which  should  be  sent  out  from 
its  own  territory;  and  The  Voice  of  the  West,  first 
published  at  Buchanan,  Mich.,  in  1863,  by  Eld.  J.  V. 
Himes,  was  in  Dec.  1864  made  the  denominational 
organ  for  the  West;  at  which  time  the  Western  Advent 
Christian  Publishing  Association  was  organized.  This 
was  on  the  basis  of  individual  ownership,  the  shares  of 
stock  being  ten  dollars  each.  In  1869  the  name  of  this 
paper  was  changed  to  The  Advent  Christian  Times; 
and  in  1871  its  office  was  removed  to  Chicago,  111. 

In  1873  the  basis  of  its  ownership  was  changed  from 
the  "stock"  individual  ownership  to  that  of  delegates 
chosen  by  the  Conferences,  and  the  name  was  changed 
from  "Association"  to  W.  A.  C.  P.  Society. 

While  at  Buchanan,  this  office  did  a  very  large 
printing  and  publishing  work,  issuing  many  tracts,  and 
pamphlets,  and  some  books,  the  weekly  issue  of  the 
A.  C.  Times  at  one  time  was  more  than  5,500  copies. 
After  the  removal  to  Chicago  the  paper  encountered 
some  most  unfavorable  conditions,  and  lost  ground 
very  largely.  It  was  finally  purchased  by  The  Bible 
Banner,  and  merged  into  that  paper,  in  1879. 

In  1873,  Bro.  Sheldon,  who  had  been  serving  the 
Western  body  as  Corresponding  Editor  of  the  A.  C. 
Times,  was  elected  as  its  Office  Editor.  This  position 
he  accepted  "with  unfeigned  reluctance re- 
ceiving all  the  votes  cast  for  editor  but  two,  he  con- 


138  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

sented  to  act  for  a  time."  In  the  fall  of  1874  he  de- 
clined to  serve  longer,  and  Eld.  F.  Burr  succeeded  him 
in  that  position.  Thereafter  he  was  a  contributor  to 
its  columns,  as  he  had  been  for  years  before. 

During  these  latter  years  there  had  been  another 
Adventist  periodical  started,  as  a  monthly;  and  its 
chief  founder,  Eld.  Homer  A.  King,  writes  thus  of  its 
establishment : 

"After  publishing  periodicals  on  Apiculture  a  few 
years  in  New  York,  I  wrote  to  a  number  of  leading 
Adventist  brethren  asking  their  co-operation,  as  an 
editorial  corps,  on  a  religious  monthly;  to  which  all  re- 
plied favorably,  Wm.  Sheldon  suggesting  two  names, 
one  of  which  I  chose:  thus  he  gave  it  its  name, — The 
Bible  Banner."  Its  first  editorial  staff  consisted  of 
John  Couch,  Wm.  Sheldon,  and  A.  A.  Phelps;  and  its 
first  number  was  issued  in  Jan.  1871,  from  New  York. 
For  seven  years  Bro.  Sheldon  was  editorially  connected 
with  this  publication;  and  for  a  time  after  it  became  a 
weekly  paper,  in  1877,  he  was  also  listed  as  one  of  its 
"special  contributors." 

When  "Our  Hope  and  Life  in  Christ"  was  started, 
and  a  new  Western  Advent  Christian  Publishing 
Society  organized,  in  1889,  Bro.  Sheldon  was  chosen 
as  one  of  its  Associate  Editors.  From  this  time  he 
served  that  body,  under  the  name  either  of  Associate, 
or  Corresponding  Editor,  until  his  last  sickness  came 
on; — and  even  after  that  he  was  quite  a  regular  con- 
tributor to  its  columns  up  to  the  time  of  his  death; 
having  material  prepared  and  on  hand  at  the  time 
when  he  was  laid  away  to  rest. 

Other  publications  also  were  glad  to  obtain  and  use 
his  writings.     Messiah's  Advocate,  the  organ  of  our 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  139 

people  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  in  which  he  held  a 
deep  interest,  was  remembered  frequently  by  him 
with  articles  for  its  columns ;  as  was  also  the  Prophetic 
and  Mission  Quarterly,  the  organ  of  our  A.  A.  M. 
Society;  and  Present  Truth,  the  organ  of  the  Southern 
field. 

For  some  thirty  years  he  was  constantly  before  our 
people  as  a  writer  in  some  special  capacity  in  our 
papers.  The  signature  "  w.  s."  became  well  known  and 
looked  for.  Many  of  these  writings  were  copied  into 
other  papers,  outside  of  our  denomination,  and  often 
the  identity  of  the  writer  was  lost,  as  frequently  such 
clipped  articles  would  be  credited  to  "Exchange,"  or 
"Selected,"  and  the  "w.  s."  left  off  Some  of  the 
good  things  he  has  written  have  thus  run  through 
several  papers,  and  been  read  by  many  readers  outside 
of  our  own  ranks;  and  we  sincerely  trust  many  have 
been  benefitted. 

In  his  early  years  he  often  used  his  talent  in  the  ^vrit- 
ing  of  verses.  Some  of  his  poetry  was  printed  in  early 
issues  of  the  Crisis,  and  the  Harbinger.  He  contributed 
quite  a  number  of  pieces  to  an  early-published  hymn- 
book,  and  the  words  of  some  of  the  songs  we  sing  to-day 
are  of  his  composition,  though  his  name  as  their  author 
was  lost  long  ago.  In  later  years  he  seldom  gave  his 
mind  to  verse-making.  We  have  heard  him  say  that 
he  realized  that  his  forte  lay  in  prose  rather  than  in  po- 
etry, so  he  devoted  his  pen  to  prose  during  the  greater 
part  of  his  work. 

Some  of  his  writings  have  been  translated  iixto  other 
languages,  and  have  been  scattered  thus  among  other 
nationalities  in  this,  and  in  other  countries. 

We  insert  here  an  editorial  from  a  February,  1902, 


140  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

issue  of  the  Crisis,  as  it  expresses  well,  in  the  words  of 
Elder  Piper,  an  estimate  of  the  qualities  of  Bro.  S.  as  a 
writer: 

"elder  WM.  SHELDON. 

"Last  week  several  of  Bro.  Sheldon's  old  friends 
were  given  space  in  these  columns  to  speak  their  trib- 
utes of  appreciation  to  his  personal  worth,  and  to  the 
value  of  his  long  service  by  tongue  and  pen  among  us. 
Though  we  have  not  been  able  to  claim  the  pleasure  of 
a  close  personal  acquaintance  with  Bro.  Sheldon,  it  may 
be  fitting  that  we  speak  of  his  long  and  honorable  con- 
nection with  this  paper  as  a  contributor. 

"In  the  death  of  Eld.  Wm.  Sheldon  The  World's 
Crisis  loses  a  life-long  friend  and  supporter.  And  those 
connected  with  the  present  management  of  the  paper, 
in  common  with  its  readers^  East  as  well  as  West,  have 
been  mourners  at  the  news  of  his  death.  While,  since 
the  starting  of  the  Hope  in  the  West,  Bro.  Sheldon  has 
properly  gravitated  to  its  columns  as  the  natural  outlet 
for  the  great  body  of  his  writings,  it  is  nevertheless  true 
that  no  paper  has  been  placed  under  such  long-standing 
obligation  for  his  writings  as  has  The  World's  Crisis. 

"Soon  after  the  paper  was  established  in  1854,  Bro. 
Sheldon  became  a  contributor.  First,  he  appeared  in 
brief  letters  and  reports,  and  later  in  articles  which,  at 
that  early  date,  were  marked  by  a  clearness  and  decis- 
iveness both  of  conviction  and  utterance  which  have 
characterized  his  writings  through  the  nearly  half  a 
century  which  has  elapsed. 

"As  a  writer,  Bro.  Sheldon  possessed  the  rare  faculty 
of  always  making  himself  understood.  And  this  is  high 
praise  when  one  considers  the  wide  range  of  his  re- 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  141 

searches,  the  abstruse  subjects  he  often  treated,  and  the 
many  'knotty'  questions  which  were,  from  first  to  last, 
thrust  upon  him  for  answer.  Where  other  expositors 
stirred  up  mud,  and  not  infrequently  confused  honest 
seekers  for  truth,  Wm.  Sheldon  was  always  clear  in  his 
own  apprehension  of  truth,  and  no  question,  seemingly, 
was  too  intricate  or  mystical  to  receive  illumination 
from  his  tongue  or  pen. 

"A  study  of  his  writings  will  also  reveal  a  trait  which 
is  worthy  of  emulation  by  all  writers.  Wm.  Sheldon 
used  no  superfluous  words.  Whatever  he  had  to  say 
was  aimed  for  at  once.  Some  writers,  unfortunately, 
cultivate  the  habit  of  using  a  page  or  two  for  intro- 
ductory matter,  and  in  getting  ready  to  say  something. 
One  did  not  have  to  read  through  any  introductions  to 
find  what  Wm.  Sheldon  was  writing  about.  He  was 
a  master  in  the  art  of  presenting  a  subject  in  brief 
form,  but  yet  clear,  concise,  and  usually  convincing. 

"  But  his  active  tongue  and  pen  have  ceased  to  speak 
their  message,  and  a  true  and  good  man  has  passed  to  a 
well-earned  rest  among  the  comrades  who  have  shared 
his  conflicts  during  the  last  half  century.  He  sleeps 
well,  and  in  honor!  At  last  he  rests  from  the  strife  for 
God  and  truth,  which  in  life  he  never  shunned.  Others 
better  fitted  by  their  long  acquaintance  will  rehearse 
his  personal  virtues,  but  throughout  our  body,  all  who 
have  known  him  or  been  familiar  with  his  long  labor 
and  its  influence,  will  tenderly  cherish  his  memory,  and 
wiU  continue  to  wait,  as  he  waited,  the  consummation 
hour,  when  the  'quick  and  dead'  shall  assemble  for  the 
'marriage  of  the  Lamb.'  " 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

FAMILY    AFFLICTIONS. 


There  came  a  time  when  Bro.  Sheldon's  quiet  home 
was  invaded  by  the  enemy,  and  the  family  circle  was 
broken,  leaving  the  rest  of  them  in  a  state  of  sorrow 
such  as  is  well  known  to  those  who  have  experienced 
the  same,  but  can  hardly  be  described  to  others. 

The  eldest  son,  Simon  Peter,  a  lad  in  his  thirteenth 
year,  but  giving  promise  and  evidence  of  remarkable 
powers,  and  naturally  the  hope  and  joy  of  his  parents, 
and  very  dear  to  them,  was  suddenly  stricken  down  by 
the  dread  disease,  cerebro-spinal  meningitis;  and  suc- 
cumbed to  it  after  three  days'  illness,  during  which  his 
sufferings  were  very  great.  He  died  on  May  20,  1873, 
and  to  his  parents  the  stroke  of  his  sufferings  and  death, 
coming,  as  it  were,  together,  was  almost  unbearable. 
The  following,  from  the  Bible  Banner,  tells  some  of  the 
story : 

"affliction. 

"The  deep  waters  of  affliction  have  submerged  my 
soul.  On  the  20th  of  May,  my  son,  Simon  P.  Sheldon, 
fell  under  the  power  of  death,  after  a  short  but  distress- 
ing sickness,  which  culminated  in  brain  fever.  He  was 
but  twelve  years  and  three  months  old,  but  will  be  re- 
membered by  hundreds  on  the  different  camp  grounds 

142 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  143 

in  Wisconsin  and  111.  Last  winter  he  gave  his  heart 
to  God,  and  was  baptized  by  Elder  George  Howard. 
He  often  gave  testimony  in  our  social  meetings. 
He  was  contemplating  our  coming  June  camp-meeting 
with  interest — but  he  sleeps,  and  we  sorrow.  Bro. 
Burr,  of  Chicago,  attempted  to  respond  to  a  telegram 
to  attend  the  funeral,  but  was  prevented  in  the  manner 
specified  in  the  following  note,  after  getting  within 
twenty  miles  of  my  place: 

"'Janesville,  Wis.,  Thursday  Morning. 

"  'Dear  Bro.  Sheldon — I  write  to  inform  you  that  I 
am  at  Bro.  Clow's,  where  I  stayed  last  night,  and  that  I 
shall  be  unable  to  go  on  to  Brodhead  to  attend  your 
son's  funeral.  The  R.  R.  accident  near  here  last  night 
was  to  the  train  which  I  was  on.  The  train  ran  off  the 
track  and  turned  a  complete  somersault  down  a  high 
bank  near  here.  Some  of  the  passengers  were  much 
hurt,  and  some  not  at  all.  I  received  a  severe  cut  in 
my  head  over  my  right  eye,  just  in  the  edge  of  the  hair, 
two  inches  long,  which  had  to  be  sewed  up ;  also  a  severe 
bruise  on  my  right  side,  just  above  my  hip.  The  latter 
pains  me  much.  I  am  not  at  all  presentable,  and  am 
very  weak. 

"  'I  did  want  to  go  to  your  place  and  sympathize  with 
you  in  your  sorrow;  but  now  it  is  best  I  get  home  as 
soon  as  possible.  I  pray  God  to  bless  you  in  your  af- 
fliction, and  your  dear  companion  also.  'All  things 
work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,'  and 
these  things  will  in  some  way.  The  grace  of  God  be 
with  you. 

"  'Frank  Burr.' 

"Elder  Howard  preached  the  sermon.     This  stroke, 


144  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

falling  so  suddenly  on  me,  at  a  time  when  I  was  over- 
worked mentally,  nearly  threw  me  into  brain  fever; 
but  by  the  help  of  a  physician,  and  the  care  of  kind 
friends,  I  hope  to  ward  it  off.  Hoping  to  recover,  and 
praying  for  grace  in  this  afHiction,  I  close. 

"w.  s." 

Elder  Burr  to-day  carries  a  scar  as  the  result  of  his 
effort  to  carry  words  of  gospel  comfort  and  resurrection 
hope  and  Christian  sympathy  to  that  sorrowing  family ; 
and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  he  holds  a  place  in 
the  heart  of  the  family,  nor  that  he  was  always  held  in 
the  highest  esteem,  and  considered  as  a  personal 
friend  by  William  Sheldon. 

This  unexpected  death  was  such  a  severe  shock  to 
Bro.  S.,  that  for  a  time  it  was  feared  by  his  family, 
brethren,  and  physician,  that  he  would  become  un- 
balanced in  mind;  and  every  effort  had  to  be  exerted 
to  prevent  such  a  calamity.  The  Wisconsin  state 
camp-meeting  came  on  in  early  June ;  and  the  brethren 
forced  him  to  go  to  this  meeting,  though  he  was  in- 
clined to  stay  away;  the  brethren  desiring  to  get  his 
mind  turned  into  another  channel  if  possible.  So, 
with  his  remaining  family,  he  went  to  the  camp-meet- 
ing, which  was  at  Merrimac  that  year. 

On  the  first  Monday  of  camp,  to  the  dismay  of  all, 
their  youngest  child  and  only  remaining  son,  then  three 
years  old,  was  taken  very  sick  with  the  same  dread 
disease.  This  nearly  broke  up  the  camp,  and  sorrow 
and  anxiety  were  everywhere  felt.  A  friend  coming 
in  from  the  country  that  morning  to  attend  the  meeting 
remembered  having  just  read  an  article  in  the  Crisis, 
descriptive  of  Dr.  Jackson's  treatment  for  that  disease; 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  145 

and — there  being  no  physician  in  the  little  place — this 
treatment  was  immediately  applied.  With  its  faithful 
application,  and  the  Lord's  blessing  upon  the  treatment 
in  answer  to  the  many  prayers  offered,  the  boy  was 
brought  through  this  terrible  disease;  and,  on  the  last 
Sunday  was  able  to  be  brought  to  the  camp-ground. 

Four  years  later,  affliction  again  visited  that  home. 
Bro.  Sheldon  was  in  Chicago  at  this  time,  and  just  after 
boarding  a  train  to  go  to  the  Wisconsin  state  camp- 
meeting,  he  was  alarmed  to  see  Bro.  Burr  rush  aboard, 
for  he  had  left  him  but  a  short  time  before  in  the  A.  C. 
Times  office.  Bro.  Burr  handed  him  a  telegram,  and 
had  to  run,  and  jump  from  the  already  moving  train. 
The  telegram  brought  word  of  the  serious  sickness  of 
his  son,  Willie.  It  flashed  over  him  in  an  instant  that 
this  meant  death.  His  train  brought  him  in  reach  of 
his  home,  where  he  arrived  that  evening,  after  dark. 
As  the  train  whistle  was  heard,  Willie  wished  to  be 
raised  up  and  taken  to  the  window  so  that  he  could 
"wave  at  father,"  as  had  always  been  his  practice 
when  he  knew  his  father  was  on  the  train  which 
passes  in  sight  of  the  house  before  reaching  the  station, 

A  messenger  met  him  at  the  train,  telling  him  there 
was  no  hope  that  his  only  boy  could  live;  but  that 
for  his  wife's  sake,  he  must  not  enter  the  house  until 
he  could  do  so  in  a  perfectly  calm  manner.  This  he 
nerved  himself  to  do;  but  when  he  reached  the  bedside 
the  child  was  past  knowing  him,  and  he  died  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning;  having  been  sick  just  three 
days  and  two  hours,  with  that  dreaded  disease,  scarlet 
fever. 

Thus  did  the  enemy,  death,  deprive  that  family  of 
both  its  sons,  in  so  short  a  time.     William  Paul  died 


146  IIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

June  2,  1877;  aged  seven  years  and  a  little  more  than 
two  months.  He  was  born  in  Broahead,  in  March, 
1870.  This  blow  left  the  family  reduced  in  number, 
leaving  only  two  daughters  to  the  parents  who  had 
cherished  such  hopes  for  their  two  promising,  gifted 
sons.     And  there  was  such  an  empty  space ! 

This  blow  fell  most  heavily  on  the  mother,  the 
father  bracing  himself  against  a  repetition  of  a  con- 
dition similar  to  that  which  so  nearly  overcame  him 
at  the  time  of  the  former  bereavement. 

These  two  boys  were  as  different,  apparently,  as 
it  is  possible  for  brothers  to  be.  The  elder  was  natur- 
ally a  wide-awake,  active,  busy  boy,  full  of  fun  and 
frolic,  always  delighted  if  he  could  get  a  joke  on  some- 
body. And  he  had  talents  which  showed  decided 
development  toward  leading  him  into  public  life,  had 
he  lived.  Indeed,  he  was  a  boy,  "once  seen,  always 
remembered." 

When  but  a  little  boy,  he  would  get  boys  of  his  age 
off  into  the  woods  at  camp-meeting  and  preach  to  them 
regularly.  This  made  a  great  deal  of  amusement  for 
older  people,  who  would  often  secrete  themselves  near 
to  his  "preaching"  place,  to  listen  to  what  he  would 
say.  When  a  little  older  and  in  school,  he  would  gather 
the  boys  of  the  neighborhood  into  some  empty  barn, 
and  deliver  to  them  a  political  speech.  Had  he  lived, 
he  would  doubtless  have  made  a  public  speaker  of 
some  sort,  for  his  whole  trend  seemed  to  be  that  way. 

When  the  boy  was  converted,  however,  there  was 
as  radical  a  change  in  him  as  there  ever  was  in  any  man;, 
and  this  was  remarked  by  his  teachers,  neighbors,  and 
men  on  the  streets.     His  influence  was  always  great 
among  his  associates,  and  his  example  led  others  to 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  147 

accept  of  Christ.  He  was  baptized,  with  about  twenty 
others,  when  the  thermometer  was  about  20°  below 
zero,  a  stinging  cold  time. 

The  younger  boy  was  a  very  different  kind  of  person. 
He  was  sober,  quiet,  thoughtful,  studious,  and  naturally 
religious;  besides  being  very  devoted  to  his  mother. 
What  he  would  have  been,  had  he  lived  to  manhood, 
was  not  yet  so  plainly  to  be  seen;  though  doubtless 
the  ministry  would  have  been  his  choice  for  a  life's 
work. 

As  he  died  of  scarlet  fever,  no  public  funeral  service 
was  held  at  the  time;  but  Eld.  Howard  came  to  the 
house  and  offered  prayer  before  he  was  carried  to  rest 
beside  his  brother.  At  a  Quarterly  meeting  held 
afterwards  in  the  place.  Eld.  S.  W.  Thurber  preached 
his  funeral  discourse. 

"Refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping,  and  thine  eyes 
from  tears  .  .  .  they  shall  come  again  from  the 
land  of  the  enemy.  And  there  is  hope  in  thine  end 
[acharith,  'latter  part,']  saith  the  Lord,  that  thy 
children  shall  come  again  to  their  own  border"  (Jer. 
31:  16,  17). 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

NOTES    OF   HIS   FIRST   SOUTHERN    TOUR. 


We  have  already  referred  to  Bro.  Sheldon's  mission 
tours  in  the  South.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  give  here, 
more  at  large,  some  notes  and  incidents  of  those  visits. 
True,  the  times  are  changed — somewhat — now;  but 
we  may  look  at  them  as  they  were  then,  and  mark 
the  progress  made. 

Bro.  Sheldon  left  Brodhead,  Jan.,  14,  and  preached 
in  Chicago,  Sunday,  Jan.  15,  1871,  where  he  was  de- 
tained over  Monday  by  a  snow  blockade  of  the  rail- 
roads.    Starting  Tuesday,  he  writes: 

"Though  Chicago  was  well  snowed  under,  only 
twelve  hours'  ride  brought  me  out  of  sight  of  snow; 
and  twelve  hours  more  brought  me  where  they  were 
busily  engaged  in  plowing.  *  *  *  * 

"So  many  come  from  the  North,  and  take  impru- 
dent steps,  that  a  northern  man  is  looked  upon  with 
great  suspicion.  It  will  require  much  time  to  rise 
above  it." — He  was  writing  from  Macon,  Georgia. 

"What  I  was  well  aware  of  before,  I  am  now  enabled 
to  realize;  namely,  the  poverty  of  the  southern  people. 
War  has  produced  its  work  of  ruin.  I  am  now  put- 
ting up  with  a  man  who  was  dispossessed  of  about 
$60,000.  Of  course,  the  remembrance  of  all  this 
augments  the  bitterness  of  feeling  toward  northern 

148 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  149 

men.  It  is  useless  to  try  to  conceal  the  point  from 
which  one  comes,  for  a  plain  question  evaded,  leads 
to  suspicion  that  cannot  be  allayed;  and  the  truth 
told,  makes  every  man  brace  up  against  you.  It  is 
a  work  of  time  to  inspire  confidence,  and  calls  the  gift 
of  caution  into  exercise. 

"One  of  the  amusing  features  of  southern  peculiari- 
ties is  negro  preaching,  which  is  a  strange  mixture 
of  deep  ignorance  and  strong  imagination.  As  a 
sample,  a  noted  negro  minister  recently  told  his  hear- 
ers— "Peter  am  got  the  keys  of  heaven  and  hell. 
And  how  did  he  get  them?  Why,  Jesus  Christ  had 
them  first,  and  the  devil  got  them  away  from  him; 
but  Peter  stole  them  away  from  the  devil,  and  Peter 
has  got  them  now  strung  on  a  cord,  tied  around  his 
neck,  and  he  keeps  the  keys  in  his  pocket,  so  the  devil 
can't  get  them  away  from  him;  and  if  you  don't  do 
right,  Peter  will  take  the  key  of  hell  out  of  his  pocket, 
and  open  the  big  door  of  hell,  and  say,  'Go  in  dare, 
you  mis 'able  sinner;'  and  you  got  to  go.  When  a 
good  man  come  along,  Peter  takes  the  key  of  heaven 
out  of  his  pocket,  and  unlocks  the  door  of  heaven, 
and  lets  him  in."  Again  in  describing  the  crucifixion — 
"Christ  had  to  tote  his  own  cross  up  the  hill,  and  it 
was  a  mighty  heavy  cross,  and  he  couldn't  tote  it 
alone,  so  he  hollered  to  Simon — 'Simon,  come  hep 
me  tote  dis  ere  cross  up  the  hill.'  So  Simon  come 
and  took  hold  of  the  leetle  eend  of  the  cross,  and  made 
Christ  tote  the  big  eend.  Then  they  drove  a  ten- 
penny  nail  in  his  right  hand,  and  a  ten-penny  nail 
in  his  left  hand." 

There  is  quite  an  excitement  among  the  colored 
people  over  my  preaching  on  the  prophecies.     It  so 


150  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

stirred  them  up,  that  after  the  close  of  my  meeting 
the  other  night,  they  held  a  meeting  b}^  themselves, 
and  had  a  boisterous  time,  and  could  be  heard  shout- 
ing and  singing  for  over  a  mile,  till  past  one  o'clock. 
They  pay  me  great  respect  when  they  meet  me,  by 
taking  off  their  hats  and  saluting  me,  "How  d'  do, 
Marster?" — a  practice  laid  aside  since  they  were 
freed,  except  in  cases  they  regard  special  exceptions." 

Such  was  the  South,  in  some  parts,  when  Bro. 
Sheldon  was  laboring  there  in  1870.  Surely  it  was 
missionary  ground.  He  had  some  success,  even  with 
these  unpromising  conditions. 

"I  had  a  free  time  in  preaching,  and  at  the  close 
of  the  sermon  some  twenty  persons  requested  prayers, 
and  the  congregation  was  filled  with  weeping  during 
the  season  of  prayer.  One  woman  said,  'That  man's 
preaching  has  scared  me,  and  I  mean  to  live  better, 
and  I  don't  mean  to  get  over  the  scare.' 

"There  are  no  hymn  books  used  in  this  place,  except 
by  the  minister,  who  lines  the  hymn,  singing  two 
lines,  and  then  reading  two  lines  more.  I  am  strongly 
urged  to  revisit  the  place,  and  think  I  shall  do  so. 
The  Methodist  minister  is  intensely  anxious  to  have 
me  return ;  but  I  fear  when  the  Presiding  Elder  comes 
around,  he  will  change  his  mind;  for  it  is  hard  to 
believe  that  a  Yankee  can  be  good.  They  are  even 
bitter  against  northern  Methodist  ministers,  and  they 
are  watched  by  the  'K.  K.  K.' 

"Instead  of  stoves,  fire-places  are  used  in  this  State, 
from  the  house  to  the  city  depot,  reminding  me  of 
my  boyhood  days,  when  I  used  to  play  on  the  hearth, 
before  a  bright  fire.  I  have  seen  but  one  stove  in 
the  State;   that  was  in  the  capital. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  151 

"I  mean  to  keep  up  an  agitation  by  means  of  reading 
matter,  to  some  extent,  though  the  majority  of  the 
people  are  illiterate,  even  among  the  officials.  As  a 
sample,  the  Methodist  steward  informs  me  that  he 
holds  a  note  against  a  man  recently  elected  to  the 
State  senate,  who  could  not  sign  his  own  name,  but 
had  to  make  his  mark.  In  the  cities  there  is  more 
education,  but  very  limited  compared  to  the  north. 
It  needs  a  man  to  settle  down  and  hold  all  the  ground 
that  is  gained,  and  live  himself  into  the  confidence  of 
a  suspicious  people,  which  will  require  time  and  cau- 
tion. 

The  above  notes  were  "first  impressions"  written 
from  Central  Georgia,  up  to  Feb,  1st.  Then  he  re- 
moved to  Southern  Georgia. 

"Upon  reaching  Brunswick,  in  Southern  Georgia, 
I  found  I  had  got  out  of  the  strong  "K.  K."  current. 
Its  stronghold  appears  to  be  in  Central  Georgia,  so 
far  as  this  state  is  concerned.  The  weather  here  in 
February  is  as  fine  as  May  weather  in  New  England. 
At  the  present  time  (Feb.  8th),  plum  trees  and  peach 
trees  are  in  blossom,  and  the  leaves  begin  to  put  forth. 
Winter  exists  here  nominally  only;  snow  is  a  strang- 
er." 

Here  he  had  access  to  various  church  pulpits,  and 
preached  in  them  Sundays  for  the  pastors,  besides 
having  his  own  meetings.  He  was  treated  better 
here,  meeting  and  talking  with  ministers  on  friendly 
terms.     But  he  says: 

"The  south  is  a  very  hard  place  to  conduct  a 
revival  meeting,  owing  to  the  cold  state  of  ministers 
and  church  members,  disqualifying  them  for  labor, 
throwing  all  the  work  at  the  altar  upon  me.     I  have 


152  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

had  as  many  as  twenty  take  the  anxious  seat  in  a 
night,  at  some  of  my  meetings  in  this  state,  and  have 
tried  to  have  several  prayers  offered,  but  have  never 
been  able  to  get  a  single  prayer  from  minister  or  mem- 
ber, except  when  personally  invited  to  pray,  and  then 
there  is  a  great  lack  of  zeal.  It  is  hard  to  get  the 
stream  to  rise  higher  than  the  fountain.  Religion 
is  very  low.  Many  southern  deacons  and  officials 
never  pray  in  public,  if  anywhere  else.  Of  course 
they  have  very  poor  prayer-meetings,  the  minister 
doing  nearly  all  that  is  done,  no  other  one  to  speak, 
and  seldom  over  one  prayer  offered,  as  a  general 
rule.  It  is  a  far  greater  task  to  get  professors  into 
working  order,  than  it  is  to  get  sinners  to  move. 

"In  addition  to  preaching,  I  am  trying  to  scatter 
a  few  publications  on  the  most  judicious  principle — 
putting  them  into  the  hands  of  those  only  who  can 
read,  and  who  will  be  apt  to  exert  an  influence  over 
others  who  cannot.  My  supply  is  not  large  enough 
to  scatter  in  a  wasteful  manner.  Readers  are  not 
as  numerous  in  this  country  as  in  the  north.  Even 
in  this  city,  as  well  as  in  the  villages,  ministers  line 
their  hymns,  that  is,  read  two  lines  and  sing  them, 
then  read  two  lines  more,  and  sing  them,  etc.  On 
the  night  of  Feb.  16th,  I  attended  prayer-meeting 
at  the  ]\Iethodist  church,  and  the  pastor  invited  me 
to  open  the  meeting.  I  had  a  free  time  in  exhorta- 
tion. Some  of  the  people  in  the  city  are  grumbling 
because  I  teach  contrary  to  their  early  views  of  the 
kingdom;  and  others  contend  with  them,  saying, 
'  He  proves  his  views  by  the  Bible,  any  way.' 

"Though  some  thought  that  my  sermons  had  cut 
the  theology   of  those  ministers   'into  shoe-strings,' 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  153 

they,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  people,  listened 
with  great  candor;  and,  greatly  to  my  surprise,  the 
Baptist  minister  complimented  me  on  having  preached 
a  'very  convincing  sermon.'  The  elements  of  oppo- 
sition are  being  stirred  up,  but  the  opposition  is  under- 
current in  its  operations,  repudiating  'Yankee  the- 
ology.' 

"There  is  a  strong  undercurrent  opposition  now 
developing  itself,  and  every  string  is  being  pulled 
to  hedge  up  my  way,  such  as  the  following:  (1)  The 
circulation  of  reports  about  our  breaking  up  churches, 
stories  about  ascension  robes,  no-soul  doctrine,  and 
similar  things.  (2)  ]\ly  being  a  northern  man  is  made 
a  great  scare,  as  so  many  preachers  of  their  own  de- 
nominations have  proved  treacherous,  and  after  get- 
ting the  confidence  of  the  people,  have  turned  out 
to  be  'carpet-baggers;'  and  they  secretly  insist  that 
a  man  of  my  talent  will  yet  work  them  some  injury. 
(3)  After  long  and  strong  invitations  to  preach  to 
the  colored  people,  and  after  submitting  the  matter 
to  the  decision  of  several  of  my  friends,  including 
the  Baptist  minister,  I  have  promised  to  preach  one 
sermon  in  the  colored  church,  and  that  is  deemed  a 
sufficient  pretext  for  a  hue  and  cry  against  me;  but 
after  having  made  the  promise,  I  will  not  betray 
cowardice  in  recalling  the  appointment,  if  they  cut 
off  my  head;  for  to  recant  now  would  be  worse  than 
to  bear  the  reproach  of  being  called  a /nigger  preacher.' 
The  Baptist  minister  promises  to  accompany  me, 
and  aid  in  the  services.  But  if  I  were  to  try  to  hold 
a  series  of  meetings  among  them,  my  friends  would 
all  bolt,  and  I  should  shortly  be  waited  upon  by  a 
committee   requesting   me   to   leave    town,    which    I 


154  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

would  have  to  do,  or  place  myself  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  colored  people  and  their  sympathizers. 

"Sunday  afternoon,  accompanied  by  the  Baptist 
minister,  I  went  to  fill  my  appointment  in  the  colored 
Baptist  church,  where  I  was  heartily  welcomed  by 
the  pastor.  As  the  people  came  flocking  in,  I  con- 
cluded that  the  statement  of  a  colored  friend  was 
not  far  from  correct,  'A  heap  of  us  wants  to  hear 
you  preach  powerful  bad.'  For  some  nights  past, 
a  goodly  number  of  them  had  ventured  to  creep  into 
the  Baptist  church,  occupying  a  back  seat,  and  the 
result  was,  the  colored  people  were  already  much 
excited  by  my  preaching,  by  mere  hearsay.  As  they 
took  their  seats  by  the  hundreds,  I  gazed  upon  their 
countenances,  and  recognized  all  grades  of  colors — 
white,  whitish,  blackish,  black,  very  black,  blacker, 
blackest;  and  their  extravagance  in  dress  was  really 
amusing — ribbons,  flowers,  silks,  etc.  They  will  de- 
prive themselves  of  a  thousand  comforts  to  get  some 
showy  article  of  dress;  and  if  they  can  get  but  one 
article,  they  will  wear  that  with  their  rags,  thus 
making  a  laughable  contrast. 

"When  the  people  got  in,  the  Baptist  minister, 
at  my  request,  opened  the  meeting,  and  I  preached 
to  them  on  the  judgment  and  its  nearness.  I  knew 
they  were  an  emotional  people,  but  sometimes  I  was 
both  startled  and  bothered  by  their  responses;  and 
such  a  swinging  of  themselves  on  their  seats,  swaying 
to  and  fro,  and  nodding  of  heads,  as  I  witnessed, 
mingled  with  symptoms  of  grief  and  signs  of  joy, 
were  proofs  that  I  had  the  attention  of  all.  At  the 
close  of  my  sermon,  I  inquired  how  many  sinners 
and  backsliders  desired  prayers,  and,  to  my  surprise, 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  155 

over  one  hundred  and  fifty  arose.  I  had  been  told 
that  such  sermons  as  I  had  been  preaching  would 
move  the  blacks  by  the  hundreds,  but  did  not  believe 
it.  But  I  presume  the  larger  share  of  them  had  once 
been  professors;  for  they  are  famous  for  backsliding, 
and  being  often  reclaimed  again.  We  had  a  season 
of  prayer,  and  closed,  I  was  at  once  surrounded  by 
colored  friends,  giving  me  a  large  job  of  hand-shaking 
to  do,  importuning  me  to  preach  more  for  them. 

"Sunday  evening  I  preached  again  in  the  (white) 
Baptist  church  to  a  large  congregation,  and  the  Lord 
helped  me  to  give  the  judgment  alarm  to  this  people. 
Everybody,  so  far  as  I  can  hear,  seems  to  acquiesce 
in  the  preaching  for  the  time  being,  ministers  and 
people  alike;  and  doubtless  some  reporters  of  meet- 
ings would  represent  the  whole  city  in  sympathy; 
but  I  prefer  to  speak  modestly,  and  await  the  final 
result,  instead  of  relying  on  present  appearances, 
feeling  confident  that  though  the  seed  is  extensively 
scattered,  much  of  it  will  not  fall  on  good  ground. 
The  old  Quaker  said.  'It  is  not  the  much  money  thee 
gets,  but  the  much  money  thee  keeps  that  makes  thee 
a  rich  man;'  so  it  is  not  the  many  that  are  pleased 
to  hear  the  truth  preached  for  the  time  being,  partly 
owing  to  its  novelty,  and  partly  because  they  fancy 
the  address  of  the  preacher,  but  the  few  who  receive 
and  obey  the  truth,  who  are  to  be  benefitted  by  it. 
Some  here,  out  of  many  listeners  and  admirers,  be- 
lieve and  love  the  whole  truth,  so  far  as  they  have 
learned  it. 

[  "March  1.  Seeing  I  am  through  preaching  in  this 
place  for  the  present,  I  am  scattering  publications 
preparatory  to  my  departure  to  another  point.     Some 


156  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

have  promised  to  subscribe  for  the  paper  before  I 
leave,  but  it  is  a  task  to  get  the  warmest  friends  to 
subscribe  in  this  land  of  extreme  poverty.  There 
are  but  few  papers  of  any  kind  taken  in  this  part 
of  the  south.  Seed  has  been  sown  that  will  produce 
fruit.     Truth  will  find  some  good  soil. 

"I  had  arranged  to  return  to  Central  Georgia,  where 
I  first  preached  in  the  State;  but  just  a  few  hours 
before  I  was  about  to  start,  I  received  the  following 
note  from  the  Crisis  office,  written  by  a  Methodist 
minister  living  in  South  Carolina,  which  induced  me 
to  change  my  program:  'If  you  have  sent  one  of 
your  preachers  to  the  South  this  winter  to  proclaim 
the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  do  write  to  him, 
and  tell  him  not  to  return  until  he  shall  give  me  a 
call.  I  wish  to  take  him  around  on  my  circuit.'  So 
instead  of  returning  to  Central  Georgia,  I  at  once 
started  for  Darlington,  South  Carolina,  in  compliance 
with  the  above  request  from  Bro.  Bowman,  who  has 
been  a  minister  in  the  South  Methodist  Conference 
for  nearly  forty  years,  and  a  believer  in  our  faith 
for  several  years  past,  having  twice  been  arraigned 
before  the  conference  for  preaching  it.  He  is  a  man 
who  will  not  wear  any  theological  hand-cuffs,  and 
will  preach  what  he  believes,  and  has  done  it  fearlessly 
in  South  Carolina,  and  is  listened  to  with  deep  in- 
terest, being  a  man  of  talent.  I  reached  the  place 
last  night  (Mar.  3d),  and  preached  my  first  sermon 
to-day  to  a  candid  congregation.  Bro.  Bowman  is 
destined  to  open  a  wide  door  for  the  truth  in  this 
State.  He  cannot  be  either  driven  or  coaxed  to 
smother  the  truth;   and  if  they  turn  him  out,  he  has 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  157 

multitudes  of  friends  who  will  stand  by  him.  I  am 
to  preach  for  him  several  days  longer." 

(The  above  Bro.  Bowman  was  Eld.  P.  G.  Bowman. 
In  August  following  he  was  arraigned  for  preaching 
heresy,  and  in  September,  1871,  he  united  with  the 
Adventists.) 

"On  the  previous  evening  two  or  three  negroes 
were  out  to  hear  me  discourse  on  the  metallic  image, 
from  the  chart,  and  carried  the  news  among  the  col- 
ored people  that  I  was  exhibiting  the  devil;  that  he 
was  an  awful  looking  fellow,  having  a  gold  head, 
silver  arms,  brass  belly,  and  iron  legs,  and  looked 
like  a  great  man — it  was  the  devil  sure.  So  to-night 
twenty  or  thirty  negroes  came  out,  but  some  feared 
the  devil  might  get  away  from  me  and  catch  them 
on  their  way  home,  and  feared  to  come,  I  told  Dr. 
Bowman  that  the  negroes  were  not  so  far  wrong  about 
the  matter  after  all,  for  although  that  metallic  man 
was  not  the  devil  in  person,  he  had  been  full  of  the 
devil  all  his  life,  having  already  lived  nearly  three 
thousand  years,  and  having  always  been  devilish. 
But  though  he  has  lived  so  long,  he  will  not  live 
always,  for  by  and  by  God  will  throw  a  big  stone  at 
him  that  will  kill  him,  crushing  him  from  foot  to 
head,  and  plunging  him  into  dark  oblivion. 

"The  South  contains  many  noble  people,  though 
now  enveloped  in  poverty,  who  ought  to  hear  the 
truth,  and  who  would  receive  it  gladly.  We  ought 
to  do  mission  work  in  that  field.  People  will  hear 
and  believe,  if  the  right  kind  of  men  are  sent  among 
them.  I  regard  it  decidedly  the  field  for  missionary 
labor,  if  cautious  men  are  sent. 


158  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

"Some  of  our  northern  friends  entertain  erroneous 
views  concerning  the  southern  people,  thinking  them 
all  ignorant.  I  find  a  large  class  of  intelligent  men 
in  the  south,  fully  capable  of  appreciating  the  deepest 
reasoning,  and  will  compare  favorably  with,  or  even 
surpass,  northerners  of  the  same  educational  advan- 
tages. It  is  true  that  the  system  of  schools  in  the 
north  has  reached  a  higher  state  of  perfection  than 
south;  but  they  are  not  all  illiterate:  some  of  them 
in  various  localities  are  pretty  well  schooled;  others 
are  men  of  intellect,  though  illiterate.  Their  phras- 
eology is  a  little  amusing  at  first,  using  the  word 
'tote'  for  carry,  'sorry'  for  poor,  etc.;  but  I  soon  got 
so  I  could  talk  the  same  language.  They  are  not 
so  full  of  egotism  and  bigotry  as  northerners  are,  as 
a  rule." 

(He  returned  to  Chicago,  Mar.  19th.) 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

NOTES    OF   HIS    SECOND    SOUTHERN    TOUR, 


In  the  following  winter:  the  end  of  the  same  year, 
1871,  we  find  Bro.  Sheldon  again  in  the  South,  on  a 
missionary  expedition. 

After  his  first  meeting,  Dec.  13th,  at  the  house 
of  Eld.  Smith,  a  Baptist,  on  Sand  Mountain,  Alabama, 
the  people  took  pine  torches  as  substitutes  for  lan- 
terns, to  light  themselves  home  through  the  dark, 
as  in  the  early  days  of  New  England  settlers.  I  have 
sent  scores  of  works  by  mail  into  this  region,  and 
many  have  been  much  enlightened  by  reading,  and 
are  prepared  to  listen  to  preaching. 

Sunday,  Dec.  17th,  I  preached  at  Carpenter.  The 
crowd  was  such  that  the  windows  of  the  house  were 
taken  out,  and  the  doors  thrown  open  to  accommo- 
date the  people.  Solemnity  pervaded  the  congre- 
gation. The  interest  to  hear  is  deep.  Many  seem 
almost  ready  to  seek  the  Lord.  God  helped  me  preach. 
Sunday  evening  the  house  was  packed  to  its  utmost 
capacity,  and  the  people  outside,  who  could  not  get 
in,  thronged  the  doors  and  windows,  (it  being  a  mod- 
erate night),  and  listened  with  the  deepest  attention, 
while  I  reined  them  up  to  the  judgment.  I  called 
upon  sinners  and  backsliders  to  start  for  the  kingdom, 
when  over  forty  requested  prayers,  many  of  whom 

159 


160  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

had  never  before  made  a  start  in  religion,  all  adults, 
and  some  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  in  the  place. 
It  was  a  melting  time. 

It  seemed  too  bad  to  leave  this  interest,  but  having 
previously  complied  with  an  earnest  request  to  send 
an  appointment  to  a  place  about  fifty  miles  away, 
I  could  not  do  otherwise  than  to  leave  for  a  time. 
But  every  person  in  the  house  arose  to  signify  their 
anxiety  to  have  me  return  again  as  soon  as  I  had 
met  my  engagement.  The  poor  condition  of  the 
meeting-houses  in  this  region  makes  them  unfit  for 
meetings  except  in  a  warm  spell.  Were  it  not  for 
this,  I  should  consider  matters  ripe  for  a  sweeping 
revival  here.  Thus  my  first  five  days  have  been  spent 
in  Alabama,  during  which  I  have  preached  eight 
sermons,  to  interested  congregations. 

In  the  early  part  of  Januarj^,  1872,  he  was  at  Car- 
tersville,  Georgia,  preaching.  "Here,"  he  says,  "I 
conversed  with  the  Methodist  pastor,  who  has  just 
finished  reading  my  'Three  Works  in  One,'  which  I 
gave  him  recently,  and  he  confesses  that  he  sees  no 
way  to  escape  my  reasoning,  and  that  I  have  given  him 
a  great  deal  of  light;  but  said  that  the  case  of  the 
rich  man  and  Lazarus  appeared  to  favor  the  doctrine 
of  a  disembodied  state.  I  told  him  that  we  could 
squeeze  that  doctrine  out  of  that  case  just  as  we 
could  squeeze  cider  out  of  cotton. 

"Can  you  squeeze  cider  out  of  cotton?" 

"No." 

"Well,  I  will  tell  you  how  to  do  it;  just  put  cider  into 
it  first,  and  then  you  can  squeeze  it  out;  so  just  put  a 
disembodied  soul  into  this  text,  and  then  you  can  get 
that  doctrine  out  of  it,  and  not  till  then.     The  text 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  161 

does  not  mention  a  disembodied  soul;  and  the  hell 
(hades)  to  which  the  rich  man  went  is  a  realm  where 
there  is  'no  knowledge,  nor  wisdom'  (Eccl.'_9:  10);  and 
even  if  a  disembodied  soul  should  go  to  that  realm,  it 
would  be  unconscious;  besides,  its  occupants  remain 
unjudgcd  till  the  resurrection.  Rev.  20:  13.  In  this 
case,  Christ,  on  the  principle  of  parabolic  personifica- 
tion, attributes  speech  and  sight  to  the  unconscious 
dead,  to  indicate  the  regrets  that  the  unholy  dead 
would  feel  for  a  past  misspent  life,  if  they  were  con- 
scious;— thus  making  the  dead  themselves  speak  to 
the  living,  but  not  their  souls.  Lazarus  (not  his  soul) 
was  carried  by  messengers  (not  heavenly  angels)  to 
Abraham's  bosom  (not  to  heaven),  to  become  a  com- 
panion of  Abraham  in  death.  To  these  dead  ones,  too 
(not  to  their  souls),  is  attributed  speech;  they  ended 
their  lives  in  comfort  and  peace,  and  if  they  could  feel 
at  all,  they  would  feel  peace.  The  same  method  of 
speech  is  used  in  the  case  of  Pharaoh,  who  went  down 
to  hell  (sheol),  not  in  a  disembodied  state,  but  'with 
weapons  of  war,'  and  'bones,'  being  'slain;'  and  yet  to 
him  and  his  fellows  is  attributed  speech,  sight,  hearing, 
comfort,  and  shame,  showing  how  they  would  feel  if 
they  could  feel  in  death.  So  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus, 
though  dead  and  unconscious,  by  personification  are 
represented  as  seeing,  feeling,  and  talking, — thus 
making  the  dead  speak  to  the  living,  as  they  would  if 
they    could." 

Jan.  18th,  commenced  meetings  at  Long  Island,  Ala. 
Eld.  Smith,  a  Baptist  minister  holding  our  views,  lives 
a  few  miles  distant,  but  was  present  to  aid  in  the  ser- 
vices. A  worthy  Baptist,  Bro.  C,  about  six  miles  from 
here,  holding  our  views,  has  already  gone  to  preaching 


162  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  faith  in  earnest,  having  held  several  meetings  near 
home.  He  is  a  man  of  mind,  of  firmness,  and  kindness. 
I  formed  his  acquaintance  when  I  first  came  to  Ala., 
and  had  previously  sent  him  publications  which  helped 
him  into  the  light.     He  is  out  clear. 

(The  above  Bro.  C.  was  Elder  John  A.  Cargile.) 
Jan.  27th,  took  cars  for  Stevenson,  Ala.,  and  was  met 
at  the  depot  by  Eld.  Cargile,  a  Baptist  minister  of 
promising  talent,  who  has  fully  come  into  the  truth, 
life  and  death  included,  and  has  commenced  preaching 
it  out  squarely  to  his  people.  His  term  has  expired  as 
pastor  of  the  church  here;  and  he  told  them  plainly 
that  if  they  re-elected  him  as  their  pastor,  he  should 
fully  preach  his  views  of  truth.  But  they  insisted  he 
must  serve  another  year.  He  thinks  the  whole  church 
will  embrace  the  truth  within  the  year.  He  has  not 
embraced  it  hastily,  but  has  taken  time  to  fully  inves- 
tigate. The  first  publication  he  ever  saw  on  the  ques- 
tion was  my  "Sermon  on  Hell,"  a  tract  of  sixteen  pages 
which  was  lent  to  him  by  a  soldier.  After  reading  it 
he  tried  hard  to  get  it  of  the  soldier  to  keep,  but  he 
would  not  part  with  it;  so  Bro.  Cargile  wrote  the  whole 
tract  in  a  blank  book,  and  took  time  to  compare  it  with 
the  Bible  faithfully.  Since  then  he  has  read  several 
larger  works,  and  is  now  settled  in  the  truth;  and  more 
than  that,  he  has  fully  counted  the  cost,  and  is  resolved 
to  preach  it  if  expelled  for  it. 

Bro.  Cargile  was  recently  conversing  with  a  Metho- 
dist minister  on  this  question,  and  offered  him  a  copy 
of  my  recent  work,  "Life  Beyond  Death."  He  replied 
that  he  had  a  copy  at  home  which  he  got  some  months 
before.  Bro.  Cargile  asked  him  how  he  liked  it.  Said 
he  had  not  read  it  through.     Bro.  C.  asked  him  why  he 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  163 

had  not  read  it.  Said  he  dared  not  read  it.  Bro.  C. 
asked  him  why.  Said  he  was  afraid  he  would  have  to 
believe  it.  Bro.  C.  told  him  if  he  was  afraid  to  believe 
the  testimony  of  the  Bible,  he  had  better  stop  preach- 
ing. Upon  reflection,  he  said  he  would  go  right  home 
and  finish  reading  it.     "We  await  the  result. 

I  was  a  little  amused  at  the  remark  of  an  honest 
man  who  had  heard  that  we  were  preaching  about  the 
judgment  from  a  chart,  when  he  came  to  look  at  the 
chart  for  the  first  time.     Said  he, 

"If  a  man  has  got  to  meet  all  them  kind  of  animals 
at  the  judgment,  he  has  surely  got  a  hard  row  of  stumps 
before  him,  and  he  had  better  repent  before  getting 
there." 

The  New  Era  thus  speaks  of  my  preaching.  "Rev. 
Wm.  Sheldon  preached  here  Sunday  night.  As  he 
stepped  into  the  pulpit,  he  sang  the  old  chorus, 

'  Oh,  you  must  be  a  lover  of  the  Lord 
If  you  want  to  go  to  heaven  when  you  die.' 

changed  thus — 

'  If  you  want  to  reign  with  Jesus  when  he  comes.' 

This  was  a  foreshadow  of  his  sermon,  which  was  to 
prove  that  none  of  earth's  inhabitants  have  entered 
heaven;  that  this  earth  is  to  be  the  heaven  for  the  saints' 
everlasting  rest." 

My  experience  in  laboring  in  the  South,  in  the  winter 
where  there  is  a  continual  alternation  between  cold 
weather  and  rainy  weather,  prepares  me  to  appreciate 
the  following  remark  published  by  a  Methodist  editor 
in  the  South: — 

"What  a  sudden  falling  off  in  the  revival  influence  in 
all  the  churches  of  the  South  since  cool  weather  set  in ! 
It  is  said,  with  truth  enough  in  the  remark  to  make  the 


164  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

sarcasm  of  it  pungent  and  withering,  that  the  'first 
white  frost  kills  all  the  revivals  in  the  South.'" 

The  time  for  southern  meetings,  if  we  would  get  the 
multitudes  to  hear,  and  not  have  our  meetings  partially 
broken  up,  first  by  rain,  and  then  by  cold  weather,  is  be- 
tween July  1st  and  Oct.  1st.  This  is  the  leisure  season 
for  southern  farmers,  besides  being  free  from  frequent 
rains  and  cold  spells. 

He  held  meetings  in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Feb,  8-25, 

A  goodly  number  were  interested  to  hear  the  reasons 
for  our  hope,  and  treated  us  with  great  kindness,  and 
some  subscribed  for  the  Crisis  and  Banner.  I  have  also 
left  works  in  their  midst  setting  forth  the  different 
features  of  our  faith.  It  has  not  been  my  object  on 
this  mission  to  organize  churches,  but  to  spread  the 
light  among  all  churches,  without  waging  war  on  their 
organizations,  leaving  all  free  to  enjoy  the  new  light 
where  they  are,  as  long  as  they  can  feel  liberty  to  do  it, 
with  the  special  caution  never  to  smother  the  truth  of 
God  to  please  men.  But  I  am  receiving  news  from 
different  quarters  indicating  that  a  line  must  be  soon 
drawn. 

One  Bro.  writes:  "A  cloud  of  opposition  seems  to  be 
rising  against  those  who  are  searching  the  Scriptures 
for  the  truth."  I  have  news  that  one  minister  expects 
soon  to  be  tried  for  believing  and  preaching  this  system 
of  truth.  Another  minister  thus  writes  me:  "We 
now  feel  sure  that  sooner  or  later  we  will  have  to  sep- 
arate and  organize  for  ourselves." 

During  my  stay  South  I  scattered  many  works 
among  a  class  who  were  likely  to  read,  and  obtained 
over  sixty  subscribers   to   different  periodicals,   but 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  165 

mostly  on  the  free  list.  These  will  keep  the  truth  be- 
fore their  minds,  and  benefit  others. 

A  "ministerial  Editor,"  in  one  place  where  meetings 
were  held,  said  in  his  paper: 

"Some  of  his  views  are  peculiar,  new,  and  somewhat 
startling  to  us  in  this  latitude.  He  thinks  the  day  of 
judgment  is  close  at  hand,  and  undertakes  to  demon- 
strate the  fact  by  pictures  and  arguments.  The  Rev- 
erend gentleman's  conclusions  may  be  correct,  and  it 
would  be  well  for  us  all  to  'watch  and  pray'  and  be 
ready  for  whatever  may  happen,  but  at  the  same  time 
we  are  inclined  to  think  that  he  knows  about  as  little  in 
regard  to  the  time  when  the  'great  and  notable  day  of 
the  Lord '  will  come,  as  the  rest  of  us.  We  have  listened 
to  some  of  Mr.  Sheldon's  discourses  with  considerable 
interest,  and  have  determined  not  to  condemn  him 
unheard;  but  now  we  object  to  certain  views  which  he 
set  forth  on  last  Sabbath  evening,  in  regard  to  the  state 
of  the  soul  after  death,  as  we  regard  them  unscriptural, 
unsound,  unwholesome  and  unsafe.  We  warn  our 
people  not  to  be  deceived  and  driven  away  by  this 
*\\'ind  of  doctrine'  from  the  north." 

On  returning  home  Bro.  Sheldon  wrote:  "I  intend 
to  continue  sending  reading  matter  the  coming  season 
as  I  did  last  year,  as  the  door  may  open  to  do  so,  es- 
pecially to  the  three  States  that  I  visited  on  this  tour, 
Ala.,  Georgia,  and  Tenn.,  and  also  to  some  extent  to 
five  or  six  other  Southern  States  to  friends  of  inter- 
ested ones  who  have  given  me  their  names.  If  as  large 
a  proportion  of  the  seed  takes  effect  as  did  last  year,  I 
shall  feel  repaid  for  the  effort.  Reading  matter  is  so 
scarce  in  many  parts  of  the  South  that  works  are  far 


166  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

more  apt  to  be  read  than  in  the  North,  and  being  read, 
they  produce  an  impression, 

Feb.  27th,  I  turned  my  back  on  the  South  for  the 
present,  and  was  flying  homeward.  The  first  of  March 
found  me  at  home,  after  an  absence  of  over  twelve 
weeks.  During  this  time  many  have  heard  the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom  for  the  first  time,  many  have  rejoiced 
in  new  Ught,  many  have  requested  prayers,  some  have 
been  converted,  others  reclaimed,  while  some  few  have 
opposed,  mostly  in  an  under-current  way.  I  leave  some 
bold  advocates  of  truth,  who  know  both  what  they 
believe,  and  why  they  believe  it,  and  are  able  to  meet 
opposition. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

A   GLIMPSE   INTO    HIS    DIARY. 


Thursday,  January  1. — New  Year,  1880,  found  me 
at  a  hotel  in  Alexis,  Warren  Co.,  Illinois,  to  which  place 
I  came  on  the  previous  day.  Here  I  wait  for  a  team  to 
take  me  to  Ionia,  111.,  to  hold  meetings  with  Bro.  M. 
McCuUoch  for  a  few  days. 

About  noon  a  team  took  me  to  Bro.  Richardson's 
to  dinner,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  out  of  town.  Then 
we  went  to  Ionia,  and  I  preached  in  the  evening. 
Found  that  Bro.  McCulloch  had  been  holding  meetings 
about  two  weeks,  and  four  had  risen  for  prayers.  We 
had  a  good  attendance  for  a  damp  evening.  Am  to 
make  my  home  mainly  with  Bro.  Jas.  House  during 
my  stay.  A  good  social  meeting  after  sermon  indi- 
cated a  hopeful  prospect.     Wrote  home  to-night. 

Jan.  2. — Awoke  refreshed  after  my  first  night's 
sleep  in  Ionia.  To-day  I  spent  in  Astronomical  and 
Biblical  study.  The  weather  being  damp,  the  roads 
thawed  out,  and  being  in  the  dark  of  the  moon,  the 
prospects  are  somewhat  against  a  large  attendance. 

Had  a  fair  turnout  to-night,  in  spite  of  darkness 
and  muddy  state  of  roads,  but  had  a  poor  time  in 
preaching,  from  a  good  theme — The  love  of  Christ. 
No  move  as  yet  on  the  part  of  non-professors.     A  real 
January  thaw. 

167 


168  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Jan.  3. — Spent  a  busy  day  in  study.  Did  not  light 
up  the  church  to-night,  it  rained  so  hard. 

Sunday,  Jan.  4. — Very  muddy  roads.  Less  than  one 
hundred  out  to  meeting  in  forenoon.  They  gave  ear- 
nest attention  to  my  sermon  on  "God's  voice  to  the 
world  in  ancient  and  modern  times." 

Good  attendance  at  night  and  solemn  attention. 
We  have  a  good-sized  house  in  Ionia,  which  would  be 
more  than  filled  each  night  if  the  weather  and  roads 
were  good.  Text  to-night:  "Be  not  conformed  to 
this  world."  So  passed  my  first  Sunday  in  this  little 
village  of  Ionia  (sometimes  called  Shang-hai) — the  first 
Sunday  also  of  1880. 

Jan.  5. — Mud,  mud,  all  mud.  Am  improving  my 
time  in  study,  as  getting  out  among  the  people  is  out 
of  the  question.  A  goodly  number  came  out  to-night 
on  foot,  and  we  had  a  good  meeting — candid  attention 
to  my  sermon  on  Salvation,  Trust  some  seed  will 
spring  up. 

Jan.  6. — Another  day  of  hard  study.  A  better 
gathering  to-night,  in  spite  of  mud  and  darkness,  and 
attention  was  excellent.  Preached  on  Christ  as  our 
High  Priest  and  Savior.  A  deep  feeling  pervaded  the 
assembly.  An  excellent  social  meeting  followed  my 
sermon — all  hearts  seemed  stirred,  and  sinners  seemed 
melted. 

Jan.  7. — Excellent  attention  again  to-night,  and 
some  new  hearers,  in  spite  of  dreadful  traveling.  Much 
conviction  is  being  stifled  by  several.  Preached  on 
The  *' great  multitude"  of  saved  ones  to-night.  Deep 
interest  to  hear.  The  seed  sown  will  not  be  all  lost, 
even  if  not  quickened  till  a  future  day. 

Jan.  8. — To-night  I  preached  from  these    words: 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  169 

''There  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  anything  that 
defileth."  It  seemed  to  reach  many  hearts.  Fol- 
lowed by  a  general  social  meeting.  Some  who  had 
been  in  the  background  taking  part,  and  starting 
afresh  in  the  work.     Going  is  still  bad. 

Jan.  9. — Our  congregation  was  larger  to-night  than 
it  has  been  before.  Had  solemn  attention  to  my 
sermon  on,  "The  great  day  of  wrath."  One  man 
made  a  start  to  serve  the  Lord, — a  prominent  citizen 
of  the  town.  Others  are  feeling  deeply,  and  seem 
almost  at  the  turning-point.  New  hearers  are  com- 
ing in,  and  it  takes  time  to  reach  them. 

Jan.  10. — Had  a  meeting  at  2  o'clock.  The  man 
converted  last  night  came  out  and  spoke.  Preached 
to-night  on  "Being  justified  by  faith."  Good  attend- 
ance, though  roads  are  still  bad;  and  attention  was 
excellent.  Another  started  to-night,  a  lady  of  good 
standing  in  society.  Others  are  holding  back  who 
ought  to  move. 

Sunday,  Jan.  11. — Preached  this  a.  m.  on  "De- 
parting from  the  living  God,"  to  a  good  congregation. 
Excellent  attention. 

At  night  preached  on  "The  lively  hope,"  to  the 
largest  congregation  we  have  had  yet  in  Ionia.  Evi- 
dently a  deep  feeling  pervaded  many  hearts,  and 
some  of  the  seed  sown  must  spring  up.  Sermon  was 
followed  by  a  good  social  meeting  in  which  converts 
took  part.     This  ends  my  second  Sunday  in  Ionia. 

Jan.  12. — Wrote  letters  in  p.  m.  To-night  preached 
from,  "Occupy  till  I  come."  Deep  impression. 
Many  exhortations  given  after  sermon.  Two  men 
started,  and  others  are  feeling.  Congregation  in- 
creasing.    We  are  praying  for  greater  victory. 


170  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Jan.  13. — At  two  o'clock  attended  a  funeral  service 
in  our  church. 

"Be  ye  also  ready,"  was  my  text  to-night.  A  good 
houseful,  and  excellent  attention.  Several  seemed 
almost  to  the  moving-point  but  not  quite.  We  hope 
they  will  yet  yield  to  be  saved  in  heaven's  own  way. 

Jan.  14. — Spent  a  sleepless  night,  owing  to  hard 
work.  Feel  old.  Spent  the  day  in  rest  and  study. 
Weather  fine.  A  nest  of  Mormons  are  living  in  this 
region — Josephites.  Preached  to-night  upon  the  Saints 
taking  the  kingdom.  An  excellent  social  meeting. 
No  new  ones  started  to-night,  but  some  are  feeling 
deeply.  Time  will  tell  whether  they  have  too  long 
resisted  conviction;  we  pray  that  others  may  yet 
submit. 

Jan.  15. — Passed  the  day  in  study.  Good  con- 
gregation to-night,  and  attention  to  sermon  on  being 
"Sons  of  God."  One  young  man  made  a  start  to 
serve  the  Lord.  Others  are  strongly  comdcted  but 
do  not  yield.  Hope  several  more  will  decide  to  come 
to  Christ.     To  this  end  we  pray. 

Jan.  16. — "Who  shall  abide  the  day  of  his  com- 
ing?" A  well-filled  house,  and  candid  attention.  Con- 
viction has  evidently  been  doing  its  work  on  many  hearts, 
though  not  yet  ripened.  Had  one  of  our  very  best 
social  meetings.  Converts  growing  stronger,  doing 
duty.     Appointed  baptism  for  next  Sunday. 

Jan.  17. — A  well-filled  house  to-night,  and  excellent 
attention  to  my  sermon  on  these  words:  "As  for  me, 
I  will  behold  thy  face  in  righteousness."  A  widowed 
lady  about  sixty  years  of  age  rose  for  prayers  and 
came  to  the  anxious  seat.  The  meeting  is  about  over, 
and  it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  others  will  yield. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  171 

Sunday,  Jan.  IS. — Preached  to  a  largo  congregation 
this  A.  M.,  from  Rev.  21:4,  "God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears."  Best  of  attention.  After  sermon  five 
were  baptized,  four  men  and  one  lady. 

To-night  my  text  was,  "Fight  the  good  fight." 
Two  arose  for  prayers.  House  full.  Seven  were  re- 
ceived into  the  church.  Good  social  meeting;  and 
also  had  the  Lord's  supper.  A  profitable  day;  deep 
feeling  in  the  community. 

Jan.  19 — The  meeting  w'as  to  have  closed  last  night, 
but  an  appointment  was  finally  given  out  for  to-night, 
but  it  being  so  rainy,  the  church  was  not  lit  up,  and 
we  had  no  meeting.  Hoped  to  have  reached  other 
serious  ones.     Others  are  to  be  baptized,  and  join. 

Jan.  20. — Preached  to-night  from,  "If  any  man 
thinketh  he  standeth,  let  him  take  heed  lest  he  fall." 
Was  surprised  to  see  so  many  out,  in  consideration 
of  the  deep  mud,  such  as  Illinois  is  famous  for.  Ex- 
cellent social  meeting. 

Jan.  21. — In  spite  of  the  mud  a  goodly  number 
came  out  to  meeting,  to  whom  I  preached  from  the 
admonition  to  "Remember"  gospel  admonitions  and 
instructions.  Some  have  arranged  to  be  baptized 
next  Lord's  day.     Still  we  hope  others  may  start. 

Jan.  22. — Had  a  free  time  to-night  in  preaching  on 
"The  hope  of  the  gospel "  to  a  good  full  house.  Anoth- 
er man  arose  for  prayers  to-night.  Am  feeling 
well  worn  by  my  labors,  but  hopeful  to  hold  out  over 
Sunday.  The  people  seem  inclined  to  come  out  in 
spite  of  the  roads.  Hope  to  see  more  good  accom- 
plished. 

Jan.  23. — "That  ye  may  be  counted  worthy  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  was  my  text  to-night.     The  social 


172  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

meeting  was  one  of  our  best,  nearly  every  professor 
taking  part.  Am  getting  quite  hoarse  from  so  much 
preaching  and  exhorting.  Young  converts  nearly  all 
take  part  in  meeting.     To  baptize  again  Sunday. 

Jan.  24. — Another  day  of  study.  To-night  I 
preached  on  prophecy:  "When  I  had  seen  the  vision." 
An  attentive  congregation  present.  To-morrow  is  to 
be  our  last  here.  Am  nearly  worn  down,  having 
preached  twenty-five  times  already,  besides  having 
given  several  lengthy  exhortations. 

Sunday,  Jan.  25. — Preached  to  a  full  house  this 
A.  M.,  on  "The  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times." 
After  sermon  three  more  were  baptized — all  heads  of 
families.  Indeed,  of  the  eight  baptized  in  all,  six 
were  heads  of  families.  Great  turn  out  for  the  bad 
going.  Many  have  been  set  to  thinking  in  a  new 
direction. 

To-night  closed  our  meeting.  A  full  house.  Good 
attention  to  sermon  on  Christ's  confirming  the  prom- 
ises of  God.  Three  more  joined  the  church  to-night; 
making  ten  in  aU.  Much  undeveloped  good  has  been 
accomplished,  no  doubt.  Thirty-four  testimonies  after 
sermon. 

(The  foregoing  may  give  the  reader  an  idea 
as  to  the  scope  of  the  subjects  handled  in  these  meet- 
ings, over  four  Sundays.  He  preached  the  gospel, 
as  well  as  "Life  and  Death,"  and  "Prophecy."  All 
may  also  see  that,  though  the  elements  were  against 
a  successful  meeting,  yet  he  breathes  no  discouraged 
word  to  himself,  but  rather  is  hopeful  all  through. 
This  diary  was  only  written  for  his  own  eye,  not  for 
the  public.) 

We  now  give  the  diary  notes  during  his  attendance 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  173 

at  a  Conference  meeting  and  church  dedication,  at 
Galesburg,  Mich.,  in  March,  1880. 

Mar.  24. — To-day  leave  Nevada,  Ohio,  for  Gales- 
burg, Mich.,  to  attend  the  dedication  of  their  new 
church.     Reached  Galesburg  after  dark. 

Mar.  25. — Preached  my  first  sermon  in  Galesburg 
to-night,  this  being  the  beginning  of  conference.  It 
was  followed  by  many  warm  testimonies.  Meeting 
was  held  in  the  new  meeting-hoase  which  is  to  be 
dedicated  next  Sunday.     Bro.  T.  C.  Grundy  is  pastor. 

Mar.  26. — Meetings  forenoon,  afternoon,  and  even- 
ing. I  preached  to  a  large  congregation  at  night. 
Deep  interest.  Many  brethren  from  abroad  and 
seventeen  preachers  present. 

Mar.  27. — Meetings  all  day  of  an  excellent  type. 
In  the  evening  I  preached  again:  after  the  sermon 
one  started  to  serve  the  Lord — a  business  man  of 
some  note;   others  rose  for  prayers. 

Sunday,  Mar.  28. — House  crowded  to  overflowing 
for  the  dedication.  Had  a  free  time  at  ten  o'clock. 
Then  we  raised  over  $800  to  pay  off  the  debt;  getting 
more  than  $100  over  what  was  called  for. 

Baptism  in  the  p.  m.  I  preached  again  in  the  even- 
ing to  a  packed  house,  and  after  sermon  several  rose 
for  prayers.  Others  have  asked  for  baptism.  Lord's 
supper  at  close. 

Mar.  29. — Preach  my  last  sermon  in  Galesburg 
to-night, — the  sixth  discourse.  Several  to  be  bap- 
tized.    Had  a  good  meeting. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MENTION    OF    OTHER   TRIPS. 


It  was  no  uncommon  thing  for  Bro.  Sheldon,  in 
taking  his  evangelistic  trips,  to  be  kept  away  from 
his  home  and  family  for  three  months  at  a  time; 
though  in  his  early  Wisconsin  history  his  wife  often 
accompanied  him,  to  assist  in  the  work,  especially 
in  the  singing, — and  even  six  and  seven  months  have 
passed  while  he  was  thus  from  home,  engaged  in  the 
Lord's  work  from  place  to  place. 

One  trip  into  Missouri  has  already  been  mentioned. 
Later,  he  again  visited  that  state,  extending  his  jour- 
ney to  several  points  in  Kansas,  where  success  at- 
tended his  efforts.  He  was  in  Kansas  when  it  was 
visited  by  a  large  army  of  grasshoppers.  When  in 
motion  they  appeared  like  a  cloud,  and  would  actually 
obscure  the  sun  from  vision;  when  they  settled  to 
the  ground  everything  of  a  green  nature  was  devoured 
in  a  brief  time. 

While  traveling  on  the  railroad  his  trains  were  more 
than  once  brought  to  a  complete  stand-still  because 
the  grasshoppers  had  covered  the  rails  in  such  num- 
bers that  being  crushed  they  made  the  rails  and 
driving-wheels  of  the  engine  so  oily  that  they  had 
no  friction  to  pull  the  train;  and  the  engine- wheels 
flew  around  so  that  it  was  unsafe  to  try  to  move, 
even  slowly.  He  saw  men  shoveling  the  'hoppers  from 
the  railway  tracks,  so  that  the  cars  might  proceed. 

174 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  175 

It  was  prooably  during  this  trip  that  the  following 
incident  occurred,  recently  related  by  Elder  Virgil 
F.  Hunt,  now  of  California.     Elder  Hunt  says: 

"I  remember  a  tent-meeting  held  in  Topeka,  Kan- 
sas, many  years  ago,  when  I  had  just  commenced  to 
speak  in  behalf  of  the  great  truths  of  Adventism, 
which  I  have  ever  since  cherished  and  loved.  Bro. 
Sheldon  occupied  the  desk  in  the  tent  every  night  of 
the  week.  One  afternoon  I  spoke,  relative  to  matters 
of  the  faith,  and  afterwards  Bro.  S.  cautioned  me 
about  being  rather  severe  on  some  of  the  errors  of 
popular  theology.  I  replied  to  him,  saying,  'Bro. 
Sheldon,  that  comes  with  a  poor  grace  from  the  author 
of  the  tract  Ghostology.'  He  laughed  long  and 
heartily,  and  then  said:  '  Bro,  Hunt,  that  is  my 
quicksilver  dose.  I  give  it  to  my  patients  when  nothing 
else  will  do — it  either  kills  or  cures.'  I  have  never 
forgotten  that  incident." 

In  1889,  he  again  spent  some  time  in  the  South, 
where  he  visited  churches  and  conferences  which  were 
brought  into  existence  as  a  result,  directly  or  indirect- 
ly, of  his  former  labors  there.     He  wrote  thus: 

"At  the  Alabama  Conference  we  met  over  twenty- 
five  ministers,  several  of  whom  were  once  Baptist 
preachers,  and  who  came  into  the  truth  by  reading 
our  book,  'Life  beyond  Death.'  Of  course  we  were 
mutually  glad  to  meet  each  other.  What  a  theolog- 
ical change  in  the  State  since  my  first  visit  here,  seven- 
teen years  ago.  Then  Bro.  Cargile  was  a  Baptist 
minister,  having  then  received  a  little  truth;  since  then 
he  has  been  more  fully  illuminated,  and  has  not  put 
his  light  under  a  bushel.  The  result  of  his  work  can 
now  be  seen  far  and  near.     We  are  to  visit  several 


176  LIFE  OF  SHELDON, 

churches  before   going  to    the    Georgia    Conference." 

He  was  quite  a  frequent  visitor  in  the  East,  during 
all  these  years ;  often  going  as  a  delegate  to  the  Asso- 
ciation and  Mission  Society  meetings,  with  which  he 
was  usually  officially  connected.  His  last  visit  to  the 
East  was  in  1892,  when  he  went  as  Fraternal  Delegate 
to  the  Eastern  meetings  from  the  Western  A.  C.  P. 
Association. 

During  the  winter  of  1882-3,  in  company  with  his 
old-time  friend,  Bro.  William  Watson  of  Illinois,  he 
first  visited  the  Pacific  coast;  hoping  there  to  regain 
or  improve  his  health  to  some  extent;  and  he  labored 
among  our  churches  there,  as  his  health  would  permit 
but  was  not  able  to  go  into  new  fields  and  "break 
the  sod,"  as  was  formerly  his  way  of  doing. 

The  ground  on  the  Pacific  coast  was  broken  by  the 
exertions  of  Elder  D.  D.  Reed  and  wife,  who  went 
there  in  1869.  The  fruits  of  their  "pioneer"  work 
are  seen  to-day,  all  along  their  1,300  miles  of  coast 
Eld.  M.  Grant,  and  Dr.  O.  R.  Fassett,  also  did  mission 
work  there  as  early  as  1870  and  '71;  and  Dr.  H.  F. 
Carpenter  settled  and  labored  there  later,  establishing 
the  "Pacific  Mission  Advocate,"  now  "Messiah's 
Advocate,"  in  1881,  and  he  was  for  some  time  its 
editor,  and  still  is  one  of  its  most  valued  contributors. 

Bro.  Sheldon  spent  some  three  weeks  at  one  time 
at  the  home  of  Dr.  Carpenter,  in  Santa  Clara,  and  his 
stay  there  was  made  most  pleasant  by  the  doctor  and 
his  family.  He  visited  points  in  both  northern  and 
southern  California,  extending  his  stay  some  seven 
months. 

What  he  wrote  in  the  Crisis  at  the  time  is  appro- 
priate in  the  history  of  his  life;    so  we  give  it  here. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  177 

A  RECRUITING  TRIP  TO  CALIFORNIA. 

For  several  years,  as  a  result  of  overwork  in  the 
gospel  field,  poor  health  has  been  our  portion.  At 
times  we  have  partially  regained  vigor,  but  overaction 
has  again  and  again  brought  us  to  realize  that  there 
is  a  limit  to  human  strength.  After  repeated  draw- 
backs, first  from  one  ailment  and  then  from  another, 
we  have  for  some  time  past  been  the  subject  of  a 
complication  of  troubles,  rendering  labor  in  a  connected 
form  entirely  out  of  the  question,  preaching  only  oc- 
casionally, and  then  to  our  physical  detriment.  Hav- 
ing tried  various  prescriptions  from  different  physi- 
cians, reaping  a  little  benefit  at  times,  but  not  being 
raised  to  a  rugged  phase  of  health,  and  having  been 
repeatedly  advised  to  try  a  different  climate  that 
should  combine  warm  weather  with  sea  breeze  in 
winter — such  as  can  be  found  in  Florida,  or  in  Southern 
California,  we  finally  determined  to  make  the  trial, 
though  not  feeling  financially  able  to  undertake  the 
costly  experiment.  After  some  deliberation  we  de- 
cided to  try  the  benefits  of  the  Southern  California 
climate,  hoping  to  be  able  to  preach  more  after  a 
little  rest,  provided  the  climate  should  prove  to  be 
beneficial,  and  we  are  fondly  hoping  that  it  will. 

Our  calls  for  help  in  the  gospel  field  in  various  States 
much  nearer  home  have  been  both  pressing  and  nu- 
merous; but  for  the  want  of  requisite  health  to  per- 
form the  work  desired,  we  have  reluctantly  said  ''No," 
just  at  the  time  our  strong  anxiety  prompted  us  to 
be  in  the  field — for  now,  so  near  the  close  of  this  age, 
every  one  who  can  work  should  be  doubly  active. 
Nor  should  any  able  or  healthful  worker  wait  for 
doors  to  open  of  themselves,  but  pry  them  open  with 


178  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  gospel  lever — doors  into  missionary  fields,  we 
mean;  not  into  churches.  When  a  church  needs  a 
pastor,  they  will  take  steps  to  obtain  one,  but  mission- 
aries are  needed  often  just  where  the  truth  has  no 
friends  to  invite  them,  and  the  gospel  message  must 
be  pressed  upon  their  attention  before  they  will  be 
interested  in  it.  Fields  of  this  description  lie  all 
around — in  some  of  the  older  States  over  half  of  the 
counties  contain  not  a  single  church  of  our  distinctive 
faith,  and  many  of  them  not  a  solitary  believer. 
There  is  still  a  vast  area  of  unexplored  mission  ground, 
(and  too  little  is  being  done  to  arouse  an  interest),  al- 
most in  our  midst.  A  man  of  health  need  not  travel 
far  to  find  work  in  fields  that  would  doubtless  repay 
his  efforts  with  far  better  success  than  can  be  expected 
in   worldly   California. 

On  our  California  trip,  (starting  from  home  Dec. 
11),  we  passed  through  Milwaukee,  the  largest  city 
in  Wisconsin,  at  which  point  we  had  to  change  cars 
for  Chicago.  Being  late,  we  hurriedly  blundered  into 
Baal's  sanctuary  where  his  disciples  were  devoutly 
engaged  in  burning  incense  to  his  majesty.  This 
sanctuary  is  sometimes  labeled  "smoking  car."  We 
sought  to  retreat  from  this  kind  of  devotion,  but 
finding  the  other  cars  crowded,  we  were  compelled 
to  attend  the  meeting  of  Baal's  burners,  and  see  them 
pufi  and  blow  in  chorus,  and  see  them  spew  and  spit 
in  concert,  from  the  gray  headed  man  down  to  the 
little  boy.  We  notice  that  devotion  to  Baal — the 
god  of  smoke — is  a  stepping-stone  to  the  service  of 
Bacchus,  the  god  of  wine.  Bacchus,  however,  has 
a  few  disciples  who  have  never  served  Baal,  but  they 
are  very  few.     These  two  gods  are  in  warm  sympathy. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  179 

Reaching  Chicago,  we  were  joined  by  Bro.  Watson, 
the  eight  minute  preacher,  who  will  go  with  me  to 
the  Pacific  coast.  We  tarried  over  night  with  Elder 
Fellows,  and  then  took  the  train  for  California.  The 
cars  rolled  us  on  through  Illinois,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Wyo- 
ming, Utah,  Nevada,  and  California,  till  we  made  a 
brief  halt  at  Vallejo  to  preach  our  first  sermon  in  the 
Golden  State,  before  proceeding  further.  We  stood 
the  journey  pretty  well  most  of  the  way,  but  was  quite 
sick  a  part  of  the  time,  and  so  arrived  somewhat  en- 
feebled, but  hope  soon  to  feel  a  recuperating  infiuence. 

We  shall  not  attempt  to  entertain  the  reader  with 
a  detailed  account  of  our  trip,  and  the  romantic  scen- 
ery that  attracts  the  traveler's  attention  on  the  way, 
nor  with  a  full  record  of  matters  of  interest  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  as  others  have  repeatedly  reported 
these  things.  This  world  is  somewhat  like  a  fractured 
and  shattered  mirror,  presenting  here  and  there  some 
lovely  fragmental  reminders  of  its  primitive  splendor; 
and  California,  sometimes  said  to  be  next  to  Eden, 
is  an  illustration  of  this  matter  in  its  physical  phase; 
but  from  a  moral  standpoint  we  could  not  say  so 
much,  for  the  devil  long  since  found  his  way  to  Cal- 
ifornia, and  seeks  to  monopolize  the  ground.  And 
is  there  a  fair  place  on  earth  where  Satan  has  not  a 
strong  foothold?  Look  at  Constantinople,  where 
Mohammedanism  is  seated.  Look  at  Salt  Lake  re- 
gion. Yes,  the  devil  would  monopolize  even  California 
too,  if  possible.  Sin  looms  up  on  every  hand,  in  spite 
of  the  lovely  climate  and  fair  surroundings ;  and  death 
is  not  a  stranger  to  this  coast,  but  his  footprints  are 
seen  all  around. 

This,  after  all,  is  not  the  promised  land.     Westward 


180  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  emigrant  takes  his  line  of  march,  till  the  mighty 
Pacific  stares  him  in  the  face,  assuring  him  that  the 
continent  has  a  limit;  and  westward,  too,  the  gospel 
message  travels,  till  the  new  home  of  roaming  man 
is  explored,  and  the  sweet  tidings  of  salvation  from 
sin  and  mortality  salute  his  ear.  The  Pacifie  coast 
has  already  been  favored  with  the  sacred  Maranatha  proc- 
lamation to  a  limited  extent;  but  here,  as  elsewhere, 
there  is  unexplored  territory  where  this  message  ought 
to  be  sounded  out  distinctly  among  all  classes  of  people, 
not  only  by  word  of  mouth,  but  by  the  distribution 
of  suitable  printed  documents — among  foreigners  as 
well  as  among  English  speaking  people.  Probably 
no  one  State  in  the  Union,  and  possibly  no  one  country 
on  the  globe,  furnishes  a  better  representation  of  a 
multitude  of  nations  than  California.  Long  years  ago 
the  gold  mania  drew  them  to  this  coast,  and  multitudes 
of  them  still  remain  here;  and  here,  by  proper  efforts, 
many  of  them  may  be  reached,  and  through  them  a 
wave  of  influence  may  be  rolled  to  their  former  coun- 
try. Of  course,  everybody  will  not  be  benefitted  by 
our  efforts;  nor  was  this  the  case  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles  and  of  Christ;  but  we  should  not  fold  our 
arms  and  refuse  to  help  anybody,  simply  because 
everybody  will  not  accept  proffered  aid  at  our  hand. 
California  already  contains  several  Advent  churches, 
which  serve  as  torches  in  this  morally  benighted  corner 
of  the  earth;  and  has  also  several  excellent  ministers 
of  the  true  faith,  two  or  three  of  whom  we  assisted  in 
ordaining;  and  some  of  these  have  sacrificed  much 
to  plant  the  truth  in  this  new  field,  besides  enduring 
the  general  indifference  of  the  world  and  the  oppo- 
sition   of    formal    and    prejudiced    church    members. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  181 

A  noble  beginning  has  been  made  in  spite  of  Satan's 
various  attempts  to  forestall  and  neutralize  the  work; 
and  it  is  hoped  that  from  this  small  beginning  the  cause 
of  truth  may  speedily  assume  larger  proportions  under 
the  Divine  blessing. 

While  spending  the  winter  months  in  this  State  with 
a  view  to  improve  our  health,  it  would  be  a  great 
pleasure  could  we  enter  the  field  as  a  constant  worker, 
preaching  every  day,  as  in  earlier  years;  but  we  must 
content  ourselves  with  doing  what  our  limited  store 
of  health  will  permit  without  thwarting  our  principle 
object  in  coming  to  this  coast — the  improvement  of 
health,  as  a  prerequisite  to  the  accomplishment  of 
more  work  in  the  gospel  field.  This  makes  twenty- 
two  States  in  which  it  has  been  our  privilege  to  preach 
the  immediate  coming  and  kingdom  of  Christ;  and 
we  are  more  than  ever  convinced  that  this  is  no  cun- 
ningly devised  fable,  but  Heaven's  own  truth.  May 
the  tidings  swiftly  fly  over  the  earth! 

Later,  he  wrote: 

FOUR   MONTHS   IN    CALIFORNIA. 

Over  four  months  have  rolled  away  since  we  reached 
this  state,  on  the  Pacific  coast.  Though  we  have 
somewhat  improved  in  health  since  our  arrival,  the 
process  has  been  slow.  We  have,  however,  gained 
nearly  five  pounds  in  flesh  during  the  four  months. 
Doubtless  we  might  have  gained  more  rapidly  if  we 
could  have  contented  our  mind  with  less  preaching, 
having  preached  once  or  twice  every  Sunday  since 
coming  to  the  state,  which  has  sometimes  given  us 
a  back-set.  We  have  been  kindly  received  by  Elds. 
Carpenter,    Reed,    Howell,    Carey,    Abbott,    Godfrey, 


Ig2  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Chandler,  Hunt,  Field,  and  Judge  Bronaugh,  who  is 
now  more  interested  in  the  gospel  faith  than  in  Caesar's 
affairs,  and  is  aiding  us  in  sounding  out  the  Word 
of  the  Lord.  We  have  also  received  a  warm  welcome 
from  the  California  churches,  and  have  in  turn  tried 
to  do  them  good,  and  not  without  some  degree  of 
success,  we  trust. 

The  two  Conferences  which  we  have  attended  in 
the  State  were  seasons  of  profit.  Something  is  being 
done  to  sound  out  the  judgment  warning  on  this 
coast,  but  far  too  little — the  harvest  is  great,  and  the 
laborers  few  here,  as  elsewhere.  May  prayer  arise 
for  more  laborers. 

During  his  second  visit  to  California — in  1886 — 
his  stay  was  mainly  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state. 
Here  he  had  painted  a  large  prophetic  and  historic 
chart,  which  measures  thirty  feet  in  length,  by  five 
feet  in  height.  This  he  used  to  quite  an  extent  while 
he  labored  with  some  of  their  churches. 

Of  this  trip  he  wrote:  "I  shall  not  soon  forget  the 
kindness  shown  me  by  the  California  friends,  especially 
in  San  Francisco.  Here  I  met  some  that  I  had  bap- 
tized over  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  and  others  that 
had  been  my  nearest  neighbors  for  years,  or  had  heard 
me  debate  publicly  with  the  opposers  of  our  faith 
over  twenty-five  years  ago.  I  was  often  surprised 
in  different  parts  of  California  to  meet  somebody 
who  had  heard  me  preach  '  in  the  States ' — as  California 
parlance  has  it — long  years  ago." 

One  or  two  brief  items  of  his  experiences  while 
there  may  be  of  interest. 

"During  the  New- Year  holidays  of  1886,  and  the 
'week  of  prayer,'  we  remained  in  the  region  of  San 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  183 

Francisco,  preaching  in  the  city  on  Sundays,  making 
our  home  partly  with  Bro.  Walker,  and  partly  with 
Bro.  Snow  and  Bro.  Griffin.  On  the  30th  of  Dec. 
an  extensive  earthquake  was  felt,  the  severest  for 
several  years,  and  the  only  one  I  have  felt  here  this 
season.  It  was  accompanied  with  a  rumbling  noise, 
and  shook  the  houses  about  as  much  as  very  heavy 
thunder.  As  a  rule,  they  are  less  dreaded  here  than 
thunder  storms  are  in  the  East,  and  far  less  than  the 
cyclones  of  the  East,  for  these  do  not  visit  this  region 
for  some  reason. 

On  the  second  day  of  Jan.  1886,  in  company  with 
Bro.  Griffin,  I  surveyed  that  part  of  the  city  known 
as  Chinatown,  which  is  about  the  same  thing  as  visit- 
ing China  itself.  I  had  no  desire  to  be  conducted 
into  their  opium  dens,  for  the  scent  of  opium  met  me 
at  almost  every  turn;  but  I  had  the  curiosity  to  visit 
one  of  their  Josh  houses,  and  see  their  gods.  Before 
each  god  is  an  altar,  on  which  fire  is  kept  constantly 
burning,  and  the  smoke  continually  rising.  Here 
the  heathen  Chinese  come  to  pay  their  blind  devotion, 
prostrating  themselves  before  their  idols.  One  need 
not  take  a  journe}^  to  the  old  world  to  learn  what 
idolatry  is,  for  we  have  it  here  in  full  bloom. 

CAUGHT   HIM    WITH    GUILE. 

A  curious  case  of  conversion  to  the  truth  was  re- 
cently related  to  me  in  California  by  a  Bro.  Thompson, 
who  had  a  friend  whom  he  wished  to  lead  into  the 
truth  that  so  cheered  his  own  heart;  but  that  friend 
was  so  wedded  to  novel  reading  that  he  couM  not  get 
him  to  read  anything  else.  After  repeated  trials, 
and  numerous  failures,   he  devised   a  singular  plan 


184  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

to  get  him  to  read.  Obtaining  one  of  my  books,  he 
took  its  cover  off,  and  neatly  enclosed  it  in  the  cover 
of  a  new  novel  that  was  highly  recommended  by  the 
press;  then  he  presented  it  to  this  friend,  making 
him  pledge  that  he  would  read  it  all  through,  which 
pledge  he  was  more  than  willing  to  make  when  his 
eager  eye  had  scanned  the  title  page.  He  had  not 
read  far  till  he  thought  it  was  "the  strangest  novel 
he  ever  read,"  and  could  not  see  how  it  was  related 
to  the  title  page,  but  was  told  he  would  find  that 
out  further  on.  As  he  was  pledged  to  read  it  through, 
he  kept  on  reading  till  he  found  himself  actually  in- 
terested, and  the  result  was  his  conversion  to  the 
truth,  and  to  Christ.  He  was  caught  in  this  novel 
way,  and  gospel  reading  subsequently  took  the  place 
of  novel  reading  to  the  joy  of  many  hearts. 

Another  incident,  recently  related  by  Bro.  V.  F. 
Hunt,  will  be  pleasing.     He  says: 

"I  was  pastor  of  the  Tustin  City,  Cal.,  A.  C.  church, 
for  some  twelve  years;  and  while  there  Bro.  Sheldon 
visited  and  held  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  church, 
much  to  my  delight  and  to  the  edification  of  all  lovers 
of  God's  truth.  His  voice  rang  out  stoutly  for  God 
and  truth  in  many  places  on  the  great  Pacific  coast. 
While  he  was  with  us  in  Tustin,  he  desired  to  visit  the 
ocean,  so  we  organized  a  company  of  brethren  and 
sisters  and  spent  a  day  on  the  beach.  Bro.  Sheldon 
wanted  to  be  the  first  man  to  cast  a  hook  into  the 
great  deep,  so  he  had  his  pole  all  ready,  hook  baited, 
and  when  the  teams  arrived  at  the  water  he  imme- 
diately started  for  a  place  on  the  rocks  and  cast  in 
his  line.  He  had  been  apprehensive  that  he  might 
get  wet  and  contract  a  cold,  so  he  intended  to  be  very 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  185 

careful  about  wetting  his  feet;  but  somebody  came 
along  and  said  something  to  him  which  caused  him 
to  turn  his  eyes  away  from  the  tricky  breakers,  and 
just  then  an  unusually  large  one  came  in  and  took 
Bro.  Sheldon  midway,  filling  his  overcoat  pockets 
wnth  the  water,  and  of  course  drenching  him  to  the 
skin.  Salt  water,  however,  does  no  harm;  so  he 
escaped  any  evil  results,  but  all  had  a  good  laugh 
at  his  expense." 

This  last  visit  to  California  lasted  six  months. 

In  all,  his  public  labors  in  preaching  the  Word  of 
God  have  extended  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
from  the  Lakes  to  the  Gulf;  having  preached  and 
labored  more  or  less  extensively  in  twenty-four  States 
of  the  Union,  and  in  the  Canadas.  We  find  no  record 
of  the  number  of  converts,  or  baptisms,  funerals  at- 
tended, or  marriage  ceremonies  performed.  It  would 
be  interesting  indeed  to  know  how  many  churches 
were  organized  by  him,  or  by  others  as  the  result  of 
his  efforts;  and  how  many  church  edifices  dedicated, 
or  ministers  ordained  by  him;  but  these,  and  many 
other  items  unknown  to  us  are  well  known  to  the 
One  whose  eye  seeth  all  things. 

"About  fifty  ministers  claim  to  have  been  led  to 
the  light  of  life  by  my  efforts — of  whom  a  goodly 
number  were  converted  under  my  preaching,  bap- 
tized by  me,  and  ordained  under  my  hand.  Some 
have  deserted,  more  have  died,  and  others  are  still 
at  work."— W.  S. 


GHAPTER  XXVII. 

HIS    LAST   EFFORTS. 


In  June,  1893,  an  educational  institution  was 
opened  at  Mendota,  Illinois,  by  the  Western  Ad- 
ventists.  It  was  at  first  called  Mendota  Seminary, 
but  soon  after  it  became  Mendota  College.  During 
that  summer  Eld.  Sheldon  and  Dr.  0.  R.  Fassett 
spent  some  months  there  as  instructors  in  the  Bible 
Training  department,  and  in  aiding  to  establish  that 
school.  They  entered  the  work  under  the  most  dis- 
couraging circumstances,  and  stood  shoulder  to 
shoulder  in  the  effort  to  establish  the  long-desired 
training  school  for  our  young  ministers,  and  Christian 
workers. 

He  also  spent  the  following  summer,  1894,  in  the 
same  work;  then  having  Eld.  A.  W.  Sibley  as  colleague 
Instructor  in  the  Bible  school. 

Bro.  Sheldon  was  always  a  helper  to  young  min- 
sters. Many  young  men  have  been  directed,  encour- 
aged and  helped  into  the  work  through  his  instru- 
mentality, and  many  others  have  received  instruc- 
tion, light,  and  help  through  his  personal  efforts 
with  them.  A  few  were  brought  under  his  instruc- 
tion for  a  short  time  during  his  connection  with  that 
institution,  and  they  still  testify  to  the  help  he  was 
to  them.     His  brief  connection  with  that  school  as 

186 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  187 

an  instructor  may  be  classed  among  his  latest  efforts 
in  the  cause  of  Christ. 

The  last  protracted  meeting  in  which  he  labored, 
doing  the  larger  part  of  the  preaching,  was  held  in 
January  and  February,  1895,  at  Muscotah,  Kansas, 
where  he  had  been  invited  by  Eld.  W.  O.  Tingle. 
The  meetings  lasted  about  four  weeks;  and  although 
other  meetings,  medicine  shows,  and  other  attractions 
were  constantly  going  on  in  the  town,  they  gained 
a  hearing  and  attention,  and  quite  a  work  of  grace 
followed. 

During  this  series  of  meetings  he  enjoyed  great 
freedom  in  presenting  the  Word ;  preaching  over  thirty 
sermons  in  succession.  But  the  effort  was  hard  on  him 
physically,  and  he  was  obliged  to  disappoint  others 
who  had  called  for  his  help  at  that  time  in  other  places 
in  Kansas. 

The  following  report  of  that  meeting  is  from  Our 
Hope: 

"good    news    from    muscotah,  KAN. 

"We  wish  to  make  a  short  report  of  our  meeting, 
which  we  have  so  recently  held  here.  We  commenced 
the  evening  of  Jan.  20th,  and  held  four  weeks.  The 
church  was  much  strengthened,  and  many  who  had 
once  started  in  the  service  of  the  Lord,  but  had  gone 
back  into  the  world,  were  reclaimed;  and  some  w^ho  had 
never  known  the  Lord  were  persuaded  to  start  on  the 
pilgrimage  to  the  kingdom.  In  all  thirty  or  more 
confessec.  their  Saviour  anev,  or  for  the  first  time.  When 
we  consider  the  reaction  of  a  great  revival,  held  in  the 
modern  style;  (that  is  singing  and  praying  men  into 
conversion,  and  pulling  them  to  the  mourner's  bench 


188  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

by  physical  force),  we  feel  well  pleased  with  the  effort. 
Eld.  Wm.  Sheldon  was  with  us,  and  under  God  has 
done  a  work  here  that  will  last  until  the  coming  king- 
dom is  ushered  in.  We  are  now  established  as  a 
people  in  this  community  as  we  never  were  before. 
Many  Bible  truths  have  been  made  plain  to  the  people 
of  Muscotah  and  vicinity,  and  many  who  were  once  in 
darkness  are  now  rejoicing  in  the  glorious  light  of  the 
gospel.     To  God  be  all  the  glory. 

"W.  0.  Tingle." 

In  January,  1896,  Elder  A.  J.  Bolster,  at  that  time 
pastor  of  the  churches  at  Alexis,  and  Mineral,  111.,  was 
called  to  serve  the  cause  for  a  time  by  going  into  the 
field  at  large  for  purposes  connected  with  our  de- 
nominational interests;  and  he  arranged  with  Bro. 
Sheldon  to  take  his  charges  at  those  tv/o  points  during 
the  six  weeks  of  his  absence.  This  he  did,  though  he 
was  quite  poorly  during  his  stay  there.  His  services 
at  those  places  at  that^time  are  also  among  his  last 
public  labors  for  the  Master. 

During  the  preceding  fall,  the  pastor  of  "All  Souls," 
The  People's  Church,  in  the  city  of  Janesville,  Wis., 
had  opened  a  correspondence  v/ith  Bro.  Sheldon,  in 
which  he  made  inquiries  r-s  to  the  Adventist  faith, 
practices,  history,  and  so  on;  and  he  stated  that  in 
connection  with  his  church  they  had  a  ''Culture  Club" 
which  met  on  Sunday  afternoons,  and  which  was 
seeking  to  arrange  with  representatives  of  different 
denominations  and  sects  for  some  of  their  represen- 
tative men  to  present  to  the  Club  the  distinctive  fea- 
tures and  special  doctrines  of  the  denominations  which 
each  speaker  represented;  and  having  been  correctly 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  189 

informed  by  a  representative,  the  club  discussed  the 
views  he  had  presented. 

Before  the  return  of  Bro.  S.  from  Alexis  to  his 
home,  the  following  letter  from  this  pastor  was  re- 
ceived : 

"Janesville,  Wis.,  Feb.  10,  1896. 

"Eld,  Wm.  Sheldon: — We  are  exceedingly  anxious 
to  find  a  representative  of  the  Advent  Christian 
church  to  speak  to  the  Culture  Club  on  Sunday,  March 
1st,  at  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  if  possible,  if  not, 
at  seven  in  the  evening.  Can  you  come?  or  will  you 
find  some  one  to  come  for  me? 

"This  series  of  lectures  has  proven  a  great  success 
and  is  doing  a  world  of  good  in  our  city  by  creating  a 
sweeter  spirit  among  those  of  the  sects  which  are  rep- 
resented here.  What  we  want  is  a  stirring  address 
on  the  History,  Doctrines,  Aims,  and  Methods  of 
Adventism,  from  some  one  who  loves  its  truth  and  can 
speak  from  the  heart.  Come  if  you  can.  'Behold,  I 
set  before  you  an  open  door.' 

"Kindly  let  me  know  as  soon  as  possible. 

"Always  heartily, — V.  E.  Southworth." 

In  accordance  with  this  request,  Bro.  S.  promised  to 
go  to  that  city  on  that  date  and  there  present  "to  the 
culture  and  intellect"  thereof,  the  fundamental  doc- 
trines of  the  faith  and  hope  held  by  our  people. 
Rapt  attention  was  given  to  his  address,  and  when  his 
allotted  time  had  expired  he  was  urged  to  go  on  and 
finish,  as  they  wished  to  hear  him  through.  During 
the  discussion  which  followed  it  was  admitted  that — 
"//  we  accept  the  Bible — the  principles  laid  down  by 
the  speaker  must  be  accepted." 


190  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

As  an  outline  of  this  address  was  preserved,  we  will 
give  our  readers  the  benefit  of  it:  this  being  almost  his 
last  effort  at  public  speaking,  as  he  preached  only  once 
thereafter:  it  seems  very  appropriate  to  insert  here 
this  comprehensive  statement  of  his  faith;  which,  for 
important  reasons,  was  published  as  editorial  in  Our 
Hope, — he  being  associate  editor  of  that  paper  in  1896. 

CARDINAL  ELEMENTS  OF  ADVENTISM. 

(Outline  of  an  address  given  March  1,  1896,  in  the 
Unitarian  church  at  Janesvillc,  Wis.,  by  request  of  the 
pastor.) 

Mr.  Chairman  and  Hearers:  It  gives  me  pleasure 
to  comply  with  the  pastor's  gentlemanly  request  to 
give  you  the  reasons  for  our  distinctive  faith,  subject  to 
candid  criticism;  or,  in  the  words  of  the  pastor,  in  his 
generous  invitation,  to  give  you  an  address  on  the 
"history,  doctrines,  aims  and  methods  of 
adventism." 

In  introducing  this  theme,  I  would  reiterate  the 
salutation  of  the  Apostle  Paul  to  Israel:  "  Men,  brethren, 
and  fathers,  hearken,'^  and  then  judge,  instead  of  being 
in  haste  topre-judge  the  matter;  for  it  is  not  an  act  of 
wisdom  to  judge  a  matter  before  critical  investigation, 
on  mere  suspicion  that  it  is  untenable.  "Men,  breth- 
ren, and  fathers,  hearken"  dispassionately,  and  then 
judge  candidly  and  calmly. 

I.  Adventism,  from  a  true  historic  standpoint,  in- 
stead of  being  a  modern  innovation,  is  of  ancient  date, 
though  it  has  a  formulation  less  than  a  century  old. 
Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  thus  prophesied: 
"Behold  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  his 
hagion  to  execute  judgment  on  all"  (Jude  14), — tan- 
tamount  to  saying  that  "all"    remain    unjudged   till 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  191 

that  event  arrives — the  Advent  and  the  judgment  being 
inseparably  coupled  together:  and  reward  is  due  after  the 
judgment,  and  not  previous  thereto.  So  the  heart  and 
core  of  Adventism  was  operative  over  five  thousand 
years  ago,  recognizing  a  future  coming  of  the  Lord,  and 
a  future  judgment  interwoven  therewith. 

II.  Adventism  in  general  unfolds  several  dis- 
tinctive and  distinguishing  features  of  doctrine  out  of 
harmony  with  current  theology,  as,  for  instance: 

The  Advent  Question,  or  return  of  Jesus. 

The  Resurrection  of  the  dead  saints. 

The  Immortality  theme. 

The  Kingdom  to   come. 

The  Death  state  in  general. 

The  Soul's  nature  in  life  and  death. 

The  Annihilation  of  all  evil. 

The  New  Earth-home  of  the  redeemed. 

These  are  prominent  links  in  the  one  great  chain 
of  Adventism,  some  of  which  will  now  claim  our  at- 
tention : 

1st.  We  glance  at  the  Advent  question  from  our 
stand-point — the  great  question  of  Christ's  coming 
from  heaven  to  earth — "the  second"  coming  of  Christ. 
Is  it  a  literal  event?  Paul  testifies:  "Unto  them 
that  look  for  him  shall  he  appear  the  second  time," 
(Heb.  9:  28),  in  contrast  with  the  first  appearing  thus 
named  in  the  context:  "Once  in  the  end  of  the  world 
hath  he  appeared."  As  in  a  series  of  steps,  the  second 
step  is  the  next  after  the  first,  so  this  second  "appear- 
ing" of  Christ  is  the  next  after  the  first,  the  second 
being  as  literal  as  the  first.  1st.  This  second  coming 
cannot  mean  a  second  spiritual  coming,  for  that  claim 
would  make  his  first  coming  a  spiritual  event,  which 


192  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

all  know  to  be  averse  to  historic  facts.  The  claim 
that  Christ  comes  spiritually  at  conversion,  cannot 
set  aside  the  predicted  "second"  appearing,  since 
there  are  many  conversions,  and  they  cannot  all  be 
second  in  the  divine  series,  there  being  but  one  "sec- 
ond" in  heaven's  count. 

The  claim  that  Christ  comes  the  second  time  at 
the  death  of  his  saints,  cannot  fill  the  sacred  contract 
for  a  "second "  appearing,  since  there  are  many  sainted 
deaths,  and  they  cannot  all  be  "second"  in  the  sacred 
series.  More  than  this,  at  death  the  saint  goes  to 
sleej),  but  at  Jesus'  coming  he  wakes  up — two  different 
events  entirely.  His  coming  can  not  be  realized  by 
a  Holy  Ghost  proxy,  since  that  is  pronounced  "another 
Comforter" — not  identical  with  Jesus.  He  is  to  come 
as  the  "Son  of  man;"  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not 
the  Son  of  man:  "The  Son  of  man  shall  come."  Matt. 
25:31.  He  will  come  as  the  Son  of  God;  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  not  the  Son  of  God:  "Wait  for  his 
Son  [God's  Son]  from  heaven."  2  Thess.  1:  10.  He 
will  come  visibly;  hut  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  inv^isibly: 
"Every  eye  shall  see  him."     Rev.  1:  7. 

2nd.     Then  how  will  he  come? 

"They  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory."     Matt.  24:  30. 

"If  I  go  away  ...  I  will  come  again,  and  receive 
you  unto  myself."     John  14:  3. 

"Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting  on 
the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming."     Matt.  26:64. 

"This  same  Jesus  which  is  taken  up  from  you  shall 
so  come  in  like  manner."     Acts  1:  11. 

"The  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven." 
1  Thess.  4: 16. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  193 

"Our  conversation  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  also 
we  look  for  a  Saviour."     Phil.  3:20. 

"Behold,  I  come  quickly,  and  my  reward  is  with 
me."     Rev.  22:12. 

These  are  sample  statements 

3rd.     Why  will  he  come? 

(1.)  To  judge  the  race.  If  so,  then  no  judgment 
till  he  comes;    and  no  reward  till  the  judgment. 

"God  .  .  .  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  Vv'hich 
he  will  judge  the  world."     Acts  17:30. 

"Judge  nothing  before  the  time  till  the  Lord  come." 

1  Cor.  4:5. 

"Time  of  the  dead  that  they  should  be  judged" 
(Rev.  11:15-18)  due  at  the  seventh  trumpet — not  at 
the  dying  hour. 

"Judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing." 

2  Tim.  4:1. 

"A  fiery  stream  issued  and  cam.e  forth  from  before 
him"   (Dan.   7:  10),   then   comes   the  judgment. 

"Judge  him  in  the  last  day."     John  12:48. 

"I  saw  the  dead  small  and  great  stand  before  God." 
Rev.  20:12. 

"Did  eat  and  drink  with  him  after  he  was  raised 
from  the  dead,  ...  to  be  the  judge  of  quick  and 
dead."     Acts  10:41,  42. 

(2.)  Coming  to  rei'g^n  on  earth.  Preparatory  to  this, 
he  "went  into  a  far  country  to  receive  for  himself  a 
kingdom,  and  to  return."  Luke  19:  12.  Daniel  in  a 
vision  of  the  future  saw  the  return.  "One  like  the 
Son  of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven"  (Dan. 
7:  10),  having  received  the  kingdom;  in  agreement 
with  Jesus'  statement:  "Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the 
Son  of  man  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power  [kingly 


194  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

power],  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven."  Matt. 
26:64.  The  prayer,  "Thy  kingdom  come"  (Matt. 
6:  10),  when  the  "kingdoms  of  this  kosmos"  will  have 
become  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  will  be  verified. 
Till  then,  earth  is  to  be  reserved  unto  fire  against  the 
day  of  judgment"  (2  Pet.  3:  10);  and  then  "he  shall 
reign  on  the  earth;"  and  then  "the  rebuke  of  his 
people  shall  be  taken  away  from  off  all  the  earth." 
(Isa.  25:8.)  Then  "the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in 
Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem,"  saying  to  the  faithful, 
"Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  j'ou  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  " — 
the  new  earth  then  being  the  home  of  the  redeemed, 
containing  the  imported  new  Jerusalem;  this  being 
the  promised  kingdom  "under  the  whole  heaven" 
(Dan.  7:27),  after  "the  former  things  are  passed 
away." 

The  resurrection.,  in  the  light  of  Adventism,  is  deemed 
a  literality — a  release  of  physical  men  from  literal  death 
by  deific  power — instead  of  being  a  mere  spirit  elim- 
ination at  the  epoch  of  death.  The  resurrection  of 
Christ  himself  is  presented  as  the  divine  sample  or 
"first  fruits"  of  the  sainted  slumberers:  "Christ  the 
first  fruits;  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his 
coming."  1  Cor.  15:20.  And  Paul  affirms,  "Christ 
being  raised  from  the  dead,  dieth  no  more:  death  hath 
no  more  dominion  over  him"  (Rom.  6:  9),  not  Christ's 
spirit,  but  Christ  himself:  "I  am  he  that  liveth,  and 
was  dead,  and  am  alive  forever  more."     Rev.  1:  18. 

"If  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  even 
so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with 
him."     1  Thess.  4:  14. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  195 

"Knowing  that  he  which  raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus, 
shall  raise  up  us  also  by  Jesus,"     2  Cor.  4:  14. 

"Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead 
body  shall  they  arise."     Isa.  26:  19. 

"This  mortal  must  put  on  immortality."  1  Cor. 
15:57.  Here  we  "groan — not  that  we  would  be 
wn-clothed,  but  clothed  upon,  that  mortality  might 
be  swallowed  up  of  life."     2  Cor.  5:4. 

"If  the  spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
dead  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the 
dead  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies." 

"We  which  have  the  first  fruits  (Rom.  8:  11)  .  .  , 
groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption, 
.   .   .  the  redemption  of  our  body." 

God  made  man  with  a  body  capable  of  elevation 
to  a  deathless  state,  with  a  conditional  provision  for 
that  elevation — but  rebellion  plunged  the  race  into 
degradation,  and  flooded  the  realm  with  death:  thu3 
the  first  Adam  and  his  race  were  engulfed  in  death. 
But  the  last  Adam  having  already  triumphed  over 
death,  and  having  the  keys  of  death,  offers  immor- 
tality to  the  race  on  stipulated  terms,  to  be  bestowed 
at  his  return  from  heaven  to  awaken  the  sleepers. 
Here  we  can  secure  or  forfeit  the  prepared  prize. 

The  theme  of  immortality  is  not  only  one  of  wide 
range,  and  of  various  phases,  but  it  has  a  prominent 
place  in  Adventism,  being  one  of  its  fundamental 
principles — immortality  for  the  right  class,  at  the  right 
time. 

In  the  light  of  Adventism,  immortality  is  not  an 
inherent  principle  possessed  by  all  men  regardless  of 
character  or  conditions,  but  is  rather  due  the  saint 


196  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

only,  at  the  resurrection,  when  "this  mortal  must  put 
on  immortality"  (1  Cor.  15:51),  till  which  time  we 
must  "seek  for"  immortality  "by  patient  contin- 
uance in  well  doing,"  as  we  read  in  Rom.  2:7.  As 
sinners  either  refuse  or  omit  to  seek  for  it  in  the  divinely 
specified  way,  they  cannot  claim  it;  and  without  it, 
they  cannot  have  endless  life,  but  must  ultimately 
perish  under  the  penal  stroke  of  Divine  wrath  in  the 
day  of  doom. 

Soul  immortality,  so  much  talked  about  by  modern 
theologians,  is  not  once  named  in  the  Bible:  that  simply 
tells  us  that  "  This  mortal  must  put  on  immortality," 
instead  of  saying  the  very  reverse — this  immortal  must 
put  off  mortality.  "Put  on" — not  put  off;  and  this 
change  is  due  at  the  resurrection,  and  not  at  the  hour 
of  death — due  the  physical  saint,  and  not  the  soul  only. 
Then,  "Neither  can  they  die  any  more."  "To  him  that 
overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which 
is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God."     Rev.  2:7. 

Adventism  deems  death  an  "enemy"  which  de- 
prives man  of  both  life  and  consciousness — thus  render- 
ing a  resurrection  necessary  to  future  life  and  future 
reward.  The  statement  of  the  wise  man,  "The  dead 
know  not  anything"  (Eccl.  9:  10),  means  something. 
But  what  does  it  mean?  It  means  either  the  soul  only, 
or  the  body  only,  or  else  it  means  both  combined;  and  any 
of  these  interpretations  would  prove  unconsciousness 
in  death ;  for  only  that  part  of  man  which  has  know- 
ledge in  life  can  lose  it  in  death,  or  retain  it  after  death. 

1st.  If  the  statement,  "The  dead  know  not  any- 
thing," refers  to  the  body  only,  then  the  body  only 
possesses  knowledge  before  death,  for  death  can  de- 
prive nothing  of  knov/ledge  which  never  had  knowledge : 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  197 

and  if  the  body  only  has  knowledge  in  life,  then  the 
soul  has  none  to  retain  in  death. 

2nd.  If  the  soul  only  has  knowledge  before  death, 
then  the  body  has  none  to  lose  in  death — and  the  know- 
ing part  must  cease  to  know  in  death. 

3rd.  If  both  combined  constitute  the  knowing,  the 
conscious  being,  then  when  death  dissolves  that  com- 
bination, the  consciousness  produced  thereby  is  extin- 
guished. 

Adventism  regards  the  "everlasting  destruction" 
due  the  incorrigible  sinner  at  the  judgment  day,  a 
literality,  instead  of  meaning  everlasting  preservation 
in  misery — it  being  a  punishment  everlasting  in  its 
results,  and  not  in  the  process  of  infliction; culminating 
in  "the  second  death,"  amid  the  judgment  fires  of  the 
last  day,  leaving  a  purified  universe  to  be  filled  with 
purity  only — a  purified  world  to  be  filled  with  saints 
immortalized,  and  rendered  equal  to  the  angels,  this 
being  the  promised  restitution,  or  world  to  come. 

Adventism  places  the  perpetual  bliss  of  purity,  not 
in  heaven  above,  for  disembodied  souls,  but  in  the  new 
earth,  after  the  judgment  day,  for  physical  saints, 
resurrected,  immortalized  and  glorified,  with  bodies 
like  Christ's  glorious  body,  such  as  he  has  to-day  in 
heaven;  for  he  sends  back  word,  "I  am  he  that  liveth 
and  was  dead,  and  am  alive  f orevermore ; "  and  Paul 
affirms:  "We  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh, 
and  of  his  bones."  Eph.  5 :  30.  Peter  places  this  "new 
earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness,"  on  the  other 
side  of  the  great  conflagration  (3:7). 

The  new  Jerusalem  to  be  imported  from  heaven,  and 
to  be  coupled  with  the  new  earth,  is  deemed  a  literal 
city,  measured  by  furlongs,  and  cubits.     "Jerusalem 


198  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

which  is  above  "  is  to  come  down;  then  the  saints  "enter 
through  the  gates  into  the  city" — not  a  symbol  of  the 
church,  to  enter  through  itself  into  itself;  it  is  called 
the  "Tabernacle  of  God."  Then,  "No  more  death" 
on  earth:  God  says,  "Behold  I  make  all  things  new.'" 
Rev.  21:  5.  Jesus,  as  King  of  kings,  in  his  beauty 
will  then  "reign  in  Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem." 
Isa.24:23. 

The  gathering  of  the  saints  is  to  be  simultaneous, 
instead  of  being  by  piecemeal — to  be  after  the  judgment 
arrives,  instead  of  being  before  the  judgment  comes — 
to  be  the  gathering  of  the  saints  themselves,  and  not  of 
their  specters — to  take  place,  not  at  the  coming  of 
death,  but  at  the  return  of  Jesus;  for  the  record  reads: 
"They  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory.  And  he  shall 
send  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and 
they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds." 
Matt.  24:30,  31. 

The  aims  of  Adventism  are  to  lift  men  out  of  carnality 
and  tradition  into  divinity  in  this  life,  that  they 
may  finally  be  lifted  out  of  mortality  into  the  immortal 
state — out  of  this  fallen  world  into  the  restored  world. 
The  unadulterated  gospel  message  is  deemed  a  means 
to  this  end — a  gospel  to  be  believed  and  obeyed,  involving 
an  unconditional  surrender  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  an 
enlistment  in  his  service,  to  do  his  revealed  will. 

The  methods  adopted  by  Adventists  in  doing  their 
work,  are  mainly  borrowed  from  those  recorded  in  the 
Bible,  acting  discretionally  where  we  find  no  Bible 
pattern  to  follow,  but  deeming  ourselves  incompetent  to 
improve  on  the  Bible  pattern  where  it  has  been  clearly 
stated.     We  do  not  expect  to  fully  revolutionize  the 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  199 

world  theoretically  or  experimentally,  but  aim  to  do 
what  we  can  on  this  line,  and  leave  the  result  with  God. 
We  do  not  pretend  to  know  with  infallible  precision 
how  near  we  are  to  the  end  of  time;  but  fulfilled  and 
fulfilling  prophecy  shows  our  proximity  to  "the  great 
and  notable  day  of  the  Lord."  All  we  know  about  the 
matter  is  just  what  the  Lord  has  revealed;  and  that  we 
have  a  right  to  know;  nor  have  we  any  right  to  be  in 
darkness  where  light  is  given  for  our  benefit  from  the 
"sure  word  of  prophecy  whereunto  ye  do  well  that  ye 
take  heed  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark  place, 
until  the  day  dawn." 


CONTINUATION    OF    NARRATIVE. 

By  request  of  the  Magnolia,  Wis.,  A.  C.  church, 
Bro.  Sheldon  filled  that  pulpit  on  Sunday,  April  19, 
1896;  and  this  was  the  last  time  that  he  ever  stood  in 
a  pulpit  to  declare  the  word  of  life.  He  had  been  in 
quite  poor  health  for  over  a  year;  but  from  the  time  of 
his  return  from  this  last  preaching  appointment  we 
count  the  beginning  of  his  long,  last  illness. 

Being  then  Associate  Editor  of  Our  Hope  it  had  been 
arranged  that  he  should  take  charge  of  the  office  for  a 
few  weeks,  that  spring,  while  Eld.  H.  Pollard,  the 
office  editor,  should  be  relieved  and  set  at  liberty  to 
give  his  time  to  other  things,  in  the  interests  of  our 
cause;  but  Bro.  S.  became  so  seriously  afflicted  that  he 
had  to  cancel  that  engagement. 

The  time  for  the  Wisconsin  June  camp  and  confer- 
ence meeting  arrived  that  year,  and  he  was  unable  to 
attend,  for  the  first  time  during  all  the  years  of  its 
existence:  except  one  year  when  he  was  in   California 


200  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

at  the  time  of  our  state  meeting.  This  year  it  was 
especially  hard  for  him  to  be  obliged  to  remain  away, 
for  Wisconsin  was  always  very  near  to  his  heart,  and 
"Wisconsin's  cause,  people  and  ministers,  were  precious 
to  him. 

Never  was  there  a  State  Conference  blessed  with  a 
ministry  possessing  more  unity  of  spirit,  love  and 
faith.  Never  any — "isms  "crept  into  divide  and  dis- 
tract, and  a  feeling  of  brotherhood  was  ever  a  prominent 
characteristic  of  the  workers  in  this  conference.  Dur- 
ing the  more  recent  years,  Bro.  S.  was  the  only  "old 
hand"  left  in  the  conference;  and  the  younger  min- 
isters came  to  give  him  the  title  of  "father"  in  the 
work,  and  he  in  turn  called  them  his  "boys."  We 
wish  there  could  ever  be  a  similar  spirit  of  fraternity 
displayed  in  every  conference,  and  may  Wisconsin  be 
spared  from  ever  seeing  any  other  than  such  a  spirit. 

Though  unable  ever  to  meet  his  beloved  brethren 
again  in  conference  session,  he  always  wrote  a  few  lines 
to  them  at  these  meetings.  The  last  report,  or  com- 
munication, he  made  to  his  state  conference  was  given 
in  the  words  following : 


"ministers'  report, 
"By  Wm.  Sheldon. 
"For  the  year  ending  Nov.  30,  '01. 
"To  the  Brn.  of  Wis.  A.  C.  Conference,  in  session  at 
Magnolia: — You  are  already  aware  that  owing  to  sick- 
ness I  have  no  preacher's  report  to  make — that  is,  no 
report  of  preaching,  unless  I  shall  report  the  many 
sermons  delivered  in  my  dreams,  sometimes  several  a 
week;  but  nobody  hears  them.     What  little  I  do  is 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  201 

^4th  my  pen,  which  reports  itself,  and  need  not  be 
repeated  here.  As  to  my  faith  it  is  unchanged,  and 
my  interest  unabated ;  and  I  never  desired  to  be  in  the 
field  of  labor  more  ardently  than  now;  but  you  are 
already  aware  that  my  condition  renders  this  impos- 
sible, I  watch  your  movements  with  interest,  and 
pray  for  your  success,  even  though  in  the  furnace  of 
afiliction. 

"Brn.,  press  the  battle,  and  float  the  flag  of  truth  in 
kindness,  but  firmness.  Our  message  is  either  of  God, 
or  it  is  not;  if  it  is,  stand  by  it,  if  you  stand  alone  with 
God ;  but  above  all  things  have  the  spirit  of  the  message 
in  good  hearts,  while  you  have  its  theory  in  your  heads. 
God  bless  you  all. 

"William  Sheldon." 

As  that  summer  wore  on,  desire  got  the  better  of 
prudence  and  he  planned  to  attend  Camp  Mendota  in 
August.  As  he  had  seen  some  little  improvement 
during  the  summer  he  attended  that  meeting;  but  he 
was  unable  to  get  around  and  enjoy  the  meetings  as 
had  always  been  his  habit;  yet  the  meeting  with  old 
friends  cheered  and  encouraged  him  at  the  time. 

In  the  early  part  of  October  following,  his  disease 
assumed  a  very  critical  form,  prostrating  him  com- 
pletely; and  it  then  seemed  an  impossibility  that  he 
could  ever  rise  again.  Jhe  physician  called  it  an  at- 
tack of  acute  Bright 's  disease  of  the  kidne3''s;  combined 
with  a  complicated  bladder  trouble,  from  which  he 
had  been  suffering  for  many  years.  He  was  confined 
to  his  bed  for  six  weeks  at  this  time.  With  his  shat- 
tered nervous  system,  which  had  become  so  as  a  direct 
result  of  his  life-work,  it  was  hard  to  tell  from  which 
he  suffered  most:  nervousness,  or  his  kidney  and  blad- 


202  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

der  trouble.  The  nervousness  made  the  other  trouble 
harder  to  bear;  and  again  that  trouble  directly  en- 
feebled the  nerves. 

When  it  became  known  that  he  was  in  this  very 
critical  condition,  it  was  very  gratifying  to  himself, 
and  to  the  family,  that  they  were  the  recipients  of 
letters  from  prominent  brethren,  which  breathed  such 
sincere  regret  at  his  condition  and  were  filled  with 
prayers  for  his  restoration,  and  also  contained  words  of 
love,  appreciation,  encouragement,  and  so  on.  Such 
men  as  Boutelle,  Stockman,  Taylor,  Burr,  Bolster, 
Forester,  Fassett,  Armour,  Pollard,  Wait,  Carpenter, 
the  McCullochs,  and  many  others  who  will  please  ex- 
cuse the  omission  of  their  names  here,  wrote  to  him.  One 
noticeable  fact  was  that  several  of  these  writers  were 
carried  down  into  the  cold,  cold  ground  before  he  was, 
while  he  lived  on  and  suffered  for  so  long. 

With  the  care  of  a  very  competent  physician,  T.'W. 
Nuzum,  M.  D.,  who  has  obtained  a  far  more  than  local 
reputation  in  his  line  of  practice;  and  also  with  the 
excellent  nursing  of  his  wife,  who  is  a  natural  nurse; 
he  astonished  everyone  by  rallying  from  that  severe 
attack,  so  as  to  be  up  and  around  the  house  again; 
though  a  constant  sufferer,  and  requiring  constant 
attention  and  watch-care. 

The  next  summer  he  seemed  to  gain  somewhat,  and 
as  the  time  for  another  general  camp-meeting  drew 
near,  he  determined  to  go  once  more.  This  was  a  very 
venturesome  undertaking  for  one  in  his  condition,  but 
he  had  determined  to  go,  and  so  he  went  to  camp 
Mendota  for  the  last  time;  and  it  was  also  the  last  time 
that  many  of  our  dear  people  ever  saw  him. 

The  trip  was  an  injury  to  him,  and  in  October  fol- 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON  203 

lowing  he  was  again  confined  to  his  bed,  and  again  no 
one  thought  it  possible  that  he  could  ever  rise  there- 
from. He  even  gave  up  himself;  and  for  the  first  time 
he  spoke  of  dying,  and  left  a  few  directions.  When 
asked  if  he  was  willing  to  die,  he  replied:  "I  do  not 
want  to  die ;  I  never  can  want  to  die.  There  is  so  much 
w^ork  to  be  done  that  I  want  to  live  to  help  do  it." 

His  strong  constitution  and  iron  will  supported  him 
remarkably;  and,  together  with  the  excellent  care 
taken  of  him,  served  to  carry  him  through  most  terrible 
sufferings;  and  after  ten  long  weeks  of  indescribable 
agonies,  lying  on  his  back,  he  again  rallied  enough  to 
be  up  and  around  the  house,  for  a  few  weeks;  but  only 
to  be  again  prostrated  in  the  February  following,  with 
influenza,  which  aggravated  his  old  troubles,  prostrat- 
ing him  again  for  some  eight  or  ten  weeks. 

It  was  marvelous  beyond  comprehension  how  he 
lived  and  suffered  as  he  did.  No  pen  could  possibly 
describe  the  intense  sufferings  of  these  years,  and  it 
would  be  a  useless  task  to  undertake  it;  nor  would  it 
be  likely  to  benefit  the  reader,  could  they  be  described. 
Oh,  that  those  who  cared  for  him  so  constantly  through 
these  years  could  blot  the  memory  of  those  sufferings 
from  their  minds.  Hundreds  of  times  it  seemed  as  if 
they  could  no  longer  endure  to  see  the  severe  anguish 
which  they  could  not  much  alleviate  with  all  that  they 
could  do,  and  all  the  care  that  could  be  bestowed  upon 
him.  Many  were  the  times  when  it  seemed  that  hu- 
man endurance  had  reached  its  limit,  but  at  every 
time  when  that  point  was  reached,  a  sustaining  power 
which  was  far  beyond  any  human  agency  was  mar- 
velously  provided ;  and  the  family  were  enabled  to  care 
for  him,  themselves,  even  to  the  last. 


204  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Being  once  again  on  his  feet,  and  around  the  house 
and  door-yard,  he  resumed  his  pen,  doing  his  writing 
in  the  intervals  between  the  severe  attacks  of  pain  and 
nervousness.  Many  have  supposed  that  his  daughter 
did  his  writing  for  him :  this  was  a  mistake,  his  writing 
was  done  with  his  own  hand;  except  in  cases  of  replies 
to  personal  letters,  which  at  times,  he  left  to  his  daugh- 
ter or  dictated  to  her. 

From  April,  1896,  until  he  died  in  February,  1902, 
the  only  preaching  he  did  was  v>rith  his  pen.  And 
when  he  attempted  to  take  up  the  pen  again  after  his 
first  serious  break-down,  his  family  tried  to  dissuade 
him  from  attempting  any  more  v/riting,  thinking  it 
would  be  too  much  of  a  strain  on  his  nervous  system 
(his  life  then  seeming  to  be  measured  by  days,  or 
weeks  at  most) ;  but  they  soon  saw  that  it  was  best  for 
him  to  occupy  his  mind  in  that  way.  He  always  had 
concentrated  his  mind  entirely  upon  his  subject  when 
studying,  and  this  habit  enabled  him  to  do  so  still; 
and  they  soon  observed  that  while  his  mind  was  occu- 
pied with  work  and  writing  on  Bible  themes  he,  for  the 
time,  forgot  himself  and  his  suffering ;  which  they  con- 
sidered far  better  than  otherwise,  and  so  they  made 
no  more  objection  to  his  efforts  in  that  line. 

Indeed,  it  sometimes  seemed  that  he  was  inspired 
when  he  wrote,  and  his  writings  showed  a  clearness 
and  firmness  up  to  the  very  last  which  was  reall}' 
wonderful.  Different  ones  wrote  to  him  expressing 
the  thought  that  some  of  his  articles  written  during 
his  last  sickness  were  the  strongest  and  best  he  had  ever 
written. 

Some  of  his  articles  published  in  Our  Hope  and  in 
Messiah's  Advocate,  during  this  time    upon  the  per- 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  205 

plexing  ''Thousand  years"  question,  "Probation," 
and  other  such  subjects,  called  out  letters  of  gratitude 
and  rejoicing  from  leading  men  East,  and  West,  and 
Far  "West.  One  dear  brother  said  he  felt  that  he  could 
see  why  the  Lord  had  spared  him,  even  in  suffering,  and 
that  it  was  that  he  might  serve  our  people  and  our  be- 
loved cause  by  thus  writing  upon  those  themes. 

One  brother  wrote: — "Dear  Bro.  Sheldon:  I  want 
to  thank  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  for  that  ar- 
ticle on  "The  Kingdom  Age"  which  you  sent  to  Mes- 
siah's Advocate.  It  expresses  our  mind  fully  in  every 
particular.  Every  point  you  made  was  well  put,  and 
we  don't  see  how  any  one  can  successfully  evade  the  ar- 
gument, and  be  honest  with  themselves. ..." 

Another  letter  is  as  follows : 

"Chicago,  111.,  Aug.  1,  1899. 

"M}"  dear  Bro.  Sheldon: — The  time  has  been  when 
all  your  friends  could  not  see  how  you  could  live  and 
out-ride  the  days,  months,  and  years  of  so  much  con- 
stant suffering,  day  and  night,  for  so  long  a  time. 

"But  I,  for  one,  can  tell  you  why  you  have  been 
spared  to  the  church  for  such  a  time  as  this;  and  here 
let  me  say  to  you,  with  tears  flowing  freely  while  I 
write,  that  God  has  spared  you  to  do  for  the  church, 
with  your  pen,  what  no  other  man  could  see  or  know 
how  to  do;  I  mean  on  the  thousand  year  question, 
that  has  led  astray  so  many  innocent  ones,  who  have 
been  led  into  error  for  fear  they  might  be  on  the  wrong 
side. . . . 

"Don't  you  remember  the  solemn  warning  that  our 
beloved  Bro.  Miller  gave  us  in  the  early  time?  In  a 
letter  to  the  brethren  his  words  were:     'Never  plant  a 


206  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

doctrine  on  a  parable,  metaphor,  figure  of  speech,  or 
symbol;  but  first  find  two,  or  more,  positive  state- 
ments.' I  have  been  governed  by  this  rule  all  my  life. 
We  are  well  as  usual.  Be  of  good  cheer  and  look  up 
to  the  hills  from  whence  cometh  our  help. 

"Much  love  to  all.  D.  R.  Mansfield.  " 

A  letter  from  the  (then)business  manager  of  the  West- 
ern Advent  Christian  Publication  Association  shows 
an  interest  in  having  this  subject  brought  more  fully 
before  the  people.  (And  we  here  state  that  we  find 
considerable  unpublished  matter  along  this  line  among 
Bro.  Sheldon's  papers.)  The  above  mentioned  lettei  is 
as  follows : 

"Mendota,  111.,  Dec.  4th,  1900. 

"Dear  Bro.  Sheldon: — I  have  been  very  much  in- 
terested in  your  articles  on  the  thousand  years,  and  am 
glad  to  note  in  this  week's  Hope  that  you  are  contem- 
plating putting  out  a  tract  on  this  important  subject. 

"Should  you  do  so,  I  would  like  very  much  to  have 
the  honor  of  printing  it  for  you,  for  various  reasons: 
1st.  I  consider  your  position  the  correct  one,  and  as 
manager  of  this  office  would  like  the  truth  to  be  spread 
from  here.  2nd.  Our  people  need  a  tract  from  you 
on  this  question.  3rd.  This  office  should  be  able  to 
get  out  as  good  a  tract,  do  it  as  well  and  as  cheap  as  any 
publishing  house,  and  supply  all  our  Middle  West  with 
tracts  coming  from  our  own  press. 

"Hoping  to  hear  from  you  favorably,  I  remain, with 
kindest  regards,  your  brother  in  labor, 

"J.  O.  Staats,  Mgr." 

Bro.  Sheldon  was  so  active  with  the  pen,  even  up  to 
the  very  last,  that  many  had  come  to  suppose  he  was  a 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  207 

comparatively  well  man;  and  but  a  very  few  realized 
the  conditions  under  which  he  performed  that  writing. 

For  a  year  and  a  half,  or  perhaps  longer,  he  had  a 
difficulty  which  made  it  almost  impossible  for  him  to 
be  seated;  and  the  outlines  and  notes  for  his  articles 
were  made  while  walking  the  floor,  or  the  sidewalk  in 
front  of  the  house,  with  scratch-book  in  hand ;  or  while 
standing  and  leaning  on  the  fence,  thus  making  note  of 
his  thoughts,  so  that  when  it  was  possible  to  get  down 
at  his  table,  on  a  stool,  he  would  write  them  out. 

The  very  last  daj^  he  was  up,  he  stood  at  his  table, 
writing  an  article,  which  remained  on  his  table,  never 
finished.  Its  title  is:  "Organized  Beings  Material." 
That  unfinished  article  probably  was  intended  to  suc- 
ced  the  "Contemplated  Stroll  Through  Paradise," 
which  appeared  in  Our  Hope  of  February  19,  1902. 
along  with  the  announcement  of  his  death  on  the  11th. 
Singularly  appropriate !  The  last  article  published  from 
his  pen,  sent  during  his  life-time,  was  one  looking  for- 
ward, to  the  life  beyond  death,  in  the  home  of  the  holy. 
We  subjoin  it  here. 

Contemplated  Stroll  Through  Paradise. 

The  contemplated  entrance  into  the  "Paradise  of 
God"  is  one  in  which  the  expectation  is  less  than  the 
realization. 

"We  speak  of  the  realm  of  the  blest, 
Of  that  country  so  bright  and  so  fair, 

And  oft  are  its  glories  confessed, 
But  what  must  it  be  to  be  there?"  ' 

To  be  there  in  reality,  to  be  there  ourselves,  as  real 


208  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

beings,  in  a  real  paradise,  beyond  the  reach  of  death, 
free  from  pain,  invested  with  unalloyed  pleasure  as  an 
eternal  state,  is  no  trifle;  and  its  contemplation  is  en- 
trancing; but  the  reali  ation  will  be  supremely  trans- 
porting, and  divinely  exhilarating.  To  really  be  there, 
after  a  life  of  trial,  and  perhaps  after  reposing  for  a 
time  in  the  dark  bed  of  death — to  be  there  really  alivs 
forevermore — is  to  be  there  as  the  result  of  Deific 
power  displayed  in  our  behalf,  awakening  a  strain  of 
gratitude  to  our  great  Redeemer,  ever  gushing  from 
the  heart,  and  finding  vent  in  songs  of  praise  and 
shouts  of  delight. 

We  start  with  our  sweet  contemplation  at  the 
epoch  of  our  entrance  into  Paradise,  the  judgment 
then  having  passed,  the  resurrection  having  brought 
the  saints  from  the  dust  of  death,  the  angels  having 
gathered  them  to  meet  the  descending  Saviour,  with 
whom  they  have  descended  to  the  earth  made  new, 
in  obedience  to  Jesus'  invitation,  "Come,  ye  blessed 
of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom." 

Spread  out  before  us  is  a  world  of  fadeless  splendor, 
and  ravishing  beauty,  inviting  inspection:  and  we 
have  an  eternity  before  us  in  which  to  survey  its 
beauties.     Several  things   attract  our  attention: 

1st.  A  "great  multitude  that  no  man  can  num- 
ber," all  with  happy  countenances,  and  ecstatic  hearts. 
We  pause  to  look  them  over.  Not  one  in  a  million 
have  we  ever  before  seen,  or  even  heard  of.  We  feel 
inclined  to  make  their  acquaintance;  but  it  is  the 
work  of  centuries.  But  stop,  there  are  some  among 
them  whom  we  knew  in  the  mortal  state:  we  must 
greet  them,  and  briefly  talk  over  the  past — oh,  what 
a  greeting  that  will  be!    We  are  not  scrimped  for 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  209 

time,  for  eternity  is  before  us.  I  look  again:  there, 
to  my  joyful  surprise,  are  some  I  feared  would  never 
get  there;  but  there  they  are,  clothed  with  immor- 
tality. 

2d.  Among  them  are  others  that  we  have  heard 
about — ancient  prophets  and  apostles.  We  want  an 
introduction,  that  we  may  talk  over  their  past  fiery 
trials;  but  the  glory  so  fills  their  hearts  that  they 
tell  me  they  only  endured  light  afflictions,  of  mo- 
mentary duration:  the  glory  of  the  present  eclipsing 
the  sorrow  of  the  past.  Though  once  clad  in  sheep- 
skins and  goatskins,  hid  away  in  dens  and  caves  of 
the  earth,  being  destitute,  afflicted  and  tormented, 
they  now  shine  as  the  sun,  without  a  menacing  enemy 
in  the  vast  domain — they  are  triumphant! 

3d.  Interspersed  among  them  I  behold  a  class  of 
shining  messengers,  such  as  I  never  saw  in  mortal 
life.  Who  are  they?  I  am  told,  "These  are  the 
angels  of  God."  Though  millions  of  years  have 
elapsed  since  they  began  their  brilliant  career,  they 
look  young  still — one  of  them  being  taken  for  a  "young 
man"  at  the  tomb  of  Christ.  No  signs  of  decrepitude 
or  declining  age  to  be  seen  about  them :  how  fresh  and 
vigorous  they  look! 

4th.  But  in  my  enthused  stroll  over  the  vast  do- 
main of  Paradise,  I  begin  to  look  for  some  of  the 
old  men  of  God  that  I  have  read  about,  wearing  gray 
locks,  with  bent  forms;  but  as  I  scan  the  ranks  of  the 
vast  throng  for  old  Father  Abraham,  I  am  struck 
with  the  recollection  that  I  have  not  seen  a  single 
old  man  in  the  ranks  of  the  redeemed:  but  the  angel 
Gabriel,  reading  my  anxiety,  says  to  me  as  he  points, 
out  a  young  man  of  vigor,   "that  is  Abraham."     I 


210  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

look  him  over,  and  fail  to  find  a  single  gray  hair  on 
his  head,  or  a  wrinkle  on  his  face,  erect  as  an  arrow. 
Reading  my  surprise,  Abraham  tells  me  that  one 
touch  of  divine  power  removed  all  these  marks  of 
age,  and  clothed  him  with  immortal  vigor. 

5th.  Wherever  I  stroll  through  Paradise,  east, 
west,  north  or  south,  the  society  is  uniform — all  good — 
no  bands  of  thieves  to  waylay — all  know  the  Lord 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest.  Every  man  met  is  a 
brother  to  be  trusted.  All  are  members  of  one  divine 
family.  No  fear  of  foes  on  my  journeys,  no  hostile 
tribes  to  fear — all  are  servants  of  Christ.  Home, 
sweet  home,  and  holy  society  is  found  everywhere. 
All  enemies  are  extinguished  in  the  closing  up  of  the 
age  of  mortality;  and  the  age  of  immortality  ushered 
in  Paradise  free  from  carnality  and  mortality — Para- 
dise then  being,  not  on  the  preparatory  platform  with 
its  subjects  a  "little  lower  than  the  angels,"  but  on 
the  elevated  basis,  with  subjects  "equal  to  the 
angels." 

6th.  Wherever  I  roam,  the  country  is  lovely,  with 
a  genial  climate  from  pole  to  pole,  as  earth  will  doubt- 
less then  revolve  in  its  orbit  without  its  present  angle, 
as  it  evidently  did  before  the  flood;  and  the  present 
marks  of  the  curse  at  the  fall,  and  the  breaking  up 
of  the  fountains  of  the  great  deep  at  the  flood,  caus- 
ing an  additional  physical  curse,  will  be  repaired  by 
the  coming  renovation,  making  earth  again  a  lovely 
realm,  without  its  excessive  frigid  and  torrid  zones, 
dotted  with  lovely  groves  and  fruitful  fields,  free  from 
the  blighting  curse  that  now  seeks  monopoly,  every 
detrimental  germ  in  earth  or  air  or  water  having  been 
obliterated    in    the    great    conflagration,    leaving    no 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  211 

weeds,  thorns  or  thistles  to  curse  the  inhabitants  of 
earth  renewed. 

7th.  The  headquarters  of  the  future  Paradise  of 
God — ^the  new  Jerusalem —  will  be  imported  from 
heaven,  where  it  is  now  reserved,  to  which  the  saints 
will  ascend  at  their  translation  to  meet  the  Lord,  and 
where  they  will  remain  "till  the  indignation  be  over- 
past;" then  with  this  capital  of  the  coming  kingdom 
they  will  come  to  Zion,  and  the  new  Jerusalem  will 
doubtless  occupy  the  site  of  the  old,  for  "the  Lord 
of  hosts  will  reign  in  Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem, 
and  before  his  ancients  gloriously."  This  will  be  in 
advance  of  Adam's  probationary  Paradise,  that  hav- 
ing no  city,  with  inmates  a  "little  lower  than  the  an- 
gels;" while  this  will  start  with  the  immortal  Adam, 
with  all  its  inmates  "equal  to  the  angels" — Paradise 
restored  and  elevated  to  the  immortal  basis,  w.  s. 
editor's  note  following. 

[Since  writing  the  foregoing,  which  was  received 
Feb.  8th,  our  beloved  Bro.  Sheldon  has  fallen  asleep, 
in  hope  of  a  better  resurrection  to  the  immortal  life 
and  new  earth  home  he  so  glowingly  depicts.  A  tele- 
gram of  the  12th  apprises  us  of  his  death.  With 
saddened  hearts  we  mourn  death's  cruel  stroke,  but 
yet,  when  we  think  of  the  daily  and  hourly  torture 
he  endured  from  a  most  painful  disease,  we  sympa- 
thize with  the  pathetic  words  of  the  wired  message — 
"Father  at  rest."  A  noble  life  of  stern  integrity  and 
severe  toil,  as  well  as  of  great  power  and  usefulness 
has  ended  — no,  not  ended;  has  lapsed  into  the  dream- 
less sleep  of  the  grave  for  a  brief  time,  soon  to  awake 
in  immortal  youth  and  vigor  when  our  Lord  returns. 
May  we,  too,  be  there.     Editor.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

CLOSING    HOURS. 


The  sickness  which  ended  Bro.  Sheldon's  days  of 
mortality  and  suffering  confined  him  in  bed  at  the  last 
just  eleven  days.  These  were  days  of  most  excruciat- 
ing pain,  and  he  required  constant  attendance. 

The  immediate  cause  of  the  trouble  which  resulted 
in  his  death  was  a  cancer.  This  had  eaten  into  an 
artery,  causing  hemorrhage  in  the  bladder,  and  the 
blood  clotting  there  closed  the  passage,  producing 
most  intense  agony.  From  the  effects  of  this  he  never 
rallied,  but  sank  rapidly;  and  for  some  days  he  was 
mostly  unconscious,  or  semi-conscious,  there  being 
but  very  brief  intervals  when  it  seemed  that  he  was 
rational. 

He  took  to  his  bed  shortly  before  noon,  on  the  last  day 
of  January.  That  noon  he  was  the  recipient  of  the 
following  letter,  which  was  read  to  him  when  he  first 
aroused  from  the  stupor  which  came  over  him  after 
he  had  been  relieved  from  his  great  agony. 

"ViLLiscA,  Iowa,  Jan.  30,  1902. 
*'Bro.  Sheldon: — It  has  been  so  long  since  we  heard 
from  Brodhead  that  we  are  lonesome.  How  are  you 
standing  the  winter?  Do  you  suffer  much  pain,  now? 
There  was  a  time  when  I  could  drop  in  and  see  you, 
but  that  is  now  cut  off,  by  both  distance  and  health. 

212 


Family  Group. 

Mother.  I'atlier. 

Jennie.  Lucy. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  213 

I  have  been  practically  disabled  since  the  first  of 
November,  Can  you  write  much  of  the  time?  Or, 
can  you  read  to  pass  away  the  hours?  You  have, 
indeed,  been  housed  a  long  time.  But  I  am  so  glad 
that  you  have  been  able  to  speak  once  in  a  while  to  \\\ 
God  bless  you,  and  still  spare  you  to  family  and  friends. 

"We  have  been  telling  the  people  that  Jesus  wr.^ 
coming  to  restore  all  things,  and  now  we  are  anxiouslj' 
waiting  His  return.  Then,  my  Bro.,  we  will  be  free 
from  pain  and  sickness.  Halleluiah!  The  gospel  hope 
never  seemed  more  precious  to  me  than  now.  Be  of 
good  cheer,  and  we  will  meet  'in  the  morning'  to  enjoy 
the  kingdom.  I  have  tried  to  portray  the  beauties  of 
that  kingdom,  but  'the  half  has  not  been  told.'  We 
often  think  of  you  and  your  wife  and  Lucy.  May  the 
Lord  richly  bless  you  all.     .     .     . 

"Would  be  pleased  to  hear  from  you  if  not  too  much 
of  a  task. 

"In  Christian  Bonds, — A.  J.  Bolster." 

When  this  was  read  to  him  he  choked  and  the  tears 
started,  and  he  said:  "Lu,  you  write  to  Bro,  Bolster 
and  tell  him  I  greatly  appreciate  his  letter,  but  am 
unable  to  answer  it."  Some  days  later  he  roused  up 
and  called:  "Lu,  did  you  write  to  Bro.  Bolster?" 
We  felt  that  we  knew  what  was  in  his  mind,  but  we 
could  not  bring  ourselves  to  draw  him  out. 

Another  letter  which  was  received  at  that  time  from 
Bro.  W.  M.  Stuckey,  asking  for  some  light  on  a  certain 
passage  of  Scripture,  and  containing  some  words  of 
appreciation,  caused  him  to  turn  his  head  regretfully 
away,  while  a  moan  escaped  him,  which  seemed  to  say, 
"Alas!     I  can  no  longer  be  of  use  in  that  way," 


214  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

When  he  had  been  in  bed  just  a  week,  he  called  his 
daughter  and  directed  her  to  go  to  his  table  and  get  an 
envelope  which  he  described,  and  bring  it  to  him. 
This  she  did,  and  when  it  was  placed  in  his  hand  he 
inquired  if  it  was  the  first  envelope  in  that  pile;  and 
being  assured  that  it  was,  he  sealed  it  without  opening 
it — an  unusual  act  for  him,  as  he  always  looked  over 
his  mail  for  the  papers  the  last  thing  before  posting 
it — and  he  directed  that  it  be  sent  to  the  office.  This 
was  done;  and  the  issue  of  Our  Hope  which  contained 
his  obituary  also  contained  the  article  which  was  in- 
closed in  that  envelope.  It  was  headed,  "A  Con- 
templated Stroll  Through  Paradise;"  and  according 
to  the  expression  of  many  afterwards,  it  seemed  "in- 
spired," and  "prophetic." 

For  the  last  few  days  of  his  life  he  w^as  ixdldly  de- 
lirious, most  of  the  time.  The  day  before  he  died 
another  letter  came,  and  was  read  to  him  in  a  little 
interval  when  it  seemed  that  he  might  appreciate  it, 
as  he  had  apparently  come  to  himself  for  a  brief  time. 
That  letter  will  ever  be  cherished  by  the  family,  for  it 
turned  his  last  conscious  moments  back  to  his  happy, 
young  manhood  days;  and  for  a  few  moments  he  was 
enabled  to  think  and  speak  of  those  times  in  a  way 
that  showed  that  for  that  little  time  he  knew;  though 
soon  after  his  talk  gave  evidence  that  his  mind  was 
again  wandering. 

"WiNDOM,  Minn.,  Feb.  3rd,  1902. 

"Elder  Wm.  Sheldon,  Dear  Bro.: — By  the  blessing 

of  memory  we  are  glad  to  write  you  a  few  lines,  recalling 

things  which  happened  in  our  school  days,  with  our 

four  little  sisters  at  home.     Especially  once  when  we 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  215 

came  home  from  school,  and  a  dear  Mother  was  getting 
our  supper,  with  her  face  all  aglow  with  pleasure,  it 
seemed  from  having  a  young  man  visiting  us.  And 
Father  seemed  to  be  getting  a  share  of  comfort  in 
talking  of  Bible  themes  of  truth.  This  young  man 
was  studying  his  Bible,  and  would  close  it  and  put  it 
under  his  arm,  and  walk  across  the  kitchen  floor  back 
and  forth  for  a  little  time,  and  then  go  to  studying 
again,  as  our  memory  serves  us.  Well,  in  a  few  days 
Eld.  R.  V.  Lyon  comes  and  visits,  and  calls  this  young 
man  his  'son  Timothy,'  and  takes  him  to  his  home. 
The  visits  were  not  as  frequent  as  my  parents  wished, 
for  they  seemed  to  like  the  Advent  faith,  and  I  am 
so  glad  of  it.  Well,  a  little  more  about  this  young 
man  is  pleasing  to  memory.  He  found  a  wife  on 
Sturbridge  hill.  I  have  been  there  with  my  father  at 
an  Advent  tent-meeting.  We  had  a  good  meeting, 
all  was  good,  but  some  were  afraid  to  believe  the  truth. 

"I  cannot  recollect  much  more  of  this  young  man 
for  some  years,  as  I  stayed  at  home  until  22  years  of 
age;  then  I  went  to  farming  near  my  father's,  and  as 
my  wife  enjoyed  reading  the  World's  Crisis,  I  have 
taken  it  ever  since;  so  we  have  kept  well  acquainted 
with  the  pen  of  one  that  we  enjoyed  so  much,  who 
signed, 'W.S.'     ... 

"Please  find  enclosed  a  small  testimonial  from  Wife 
and  myself  for  your  comfort  and  needs,  freely  bestowed 
by  us,  ^vith  pleasure. 

"Yours  in  hope  of  meeting  in  the  New  Jerusalem. — 

"Henry  Sherman." 

Bro.  Sheldon  was  asked  a  few  questions  in  connec- 
tion with  this  letter,  and  he  spoke  of  some  things  about 


216  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  boyhood  home  of  Bro.  Sherman;  and  it  will  always 
be  a  comfort  to  think  that  his  mind  was  thus  actively 
directed  toward  pleasant  memories,  during  his  last 
conscious  hours. 

After  a  short  slumber  he  wanted  to  see  that  letter 
again,  and  it  was  handed  to  him.  He  held  it  up, 
turned  it  this  way  and  that;  but  finally  handed  it  back, 
saying  he  would  have  to  wait  till  daylight.  It  being 
then  sunlight  in  the  room,  we  realized  that  he  could 
no  longer  see  distinctly.  This  was  the  last  that  he 
realized,  except  it  be  for  an  instant. 

The  next  morning,  a  little  before  six  o'clock,  a 
change  began  to  creep  over  him,  and  it  was  realized 
that  he  was  dying.  Once  he  called,  "Lu,  water — 
milk, " — the  last  words  he  spoke.  Surrounded  by  his 
most  faithful  wife,  his  two  children,  his  seven  grand- 
children, and  a  kind  neighbor  who  was  with  them  for 
a  couple  of  hours,  he  quietly  and  gradually  sank,  until 
ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  when,  after  two  quite 
severe  struggles,  his  earthly  career  and  his  sufferings 
peacefully  closed. 

On  the  11th  day  of  February,  1902,  at  the  age  of 
71  years,  2  months,  and  26  days,  William  Sheldon  died 
at  his  home  in  Brodhead,  Wisconsin. 

He  always  looked  upon  death  as  being  an  "enemy," 
and  a  great  enemy  to  mankind;  and  he  fought  that 
enemy  strongly  and  manfully  to  the  end.  Though  he 
was  overcome  at  last,  he  fell  facing  the  foe;  though  he 
was  conquered  for  "a  little  while,"  he  will  soon,  thank 
God  soon,  see  that  enemy  conquered:  nevermore  to 
triumph  over  God's  children.  "The  last  enemy  that 
shall  be  destroyed  is  death"  (1  Cor.  15:  26).  Soon  he 
that  can  say,  "I  am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead;  and, 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  217 

behold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore,  Amen;  and  have  the 
keys  of  hell  and  of  death,"  will  come  and  open  up  the 
graves  of  all  God's  sleeping,  faithful  children  who  have 
fallen  with  their  armor  on,  and  will  bestow  upon  them 
that  life,  that  eternal  life,  for  which  they  lived  and 
struggled.  Oh,  blessed  hope,  wonderful  consolation, 
greatly  desired  consummation!  "Behold,  I  come 
quickly,"     "Amen.     Even  so  come.  Lord  Jesus." 

He  sleeps  the  sleep  of  the  just;  he  rests  in  hope  of  a 
future  endless  life;  he  reclines  in  mother  earth's  bosom, 
free  from  torturing  pain  and  suffering;  he  awaits  the 
trump  of  God,  which  soon  shall  sound  and  release 
earth's  sainted  millions  from  their  dusty  beds;  when 
he,  and  they,  and  those  that  are  His  at  His  appearing, 
shall  put  on  immortality,  glorious,  longed-for,  im- 
mortality ! 

"We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed, 
in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last 
trump:  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall 
be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed.  For 
this  corruptible  must  part  on  incorruption,  and  this 
mortal  must  put  on  immortality.  So  when  this  cor- 
ruptible shall  have  put  on  incorruption,  and  this 
mortal  shall  have  put  on  immortality,  then  shall  be 
brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death  is 
swallowed  up  in  victory." 

Though  the  "Enemy"  holds  him  down  for  a  little 
while,  soon  will  the  Savior  "  raise  him  wp ; "  and  then 
shall  he  leap,  and  shout,  and  rejoice,  and  triumphantly 
sing,  "0  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where 
is  thy  victory?"  and  then  will  he  joyously  exclaim, 
"Thanks  be  to  God  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 


218  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

He  was  noted  for  leaping,  shouting,  rejoicing  and 
singing  while  in  service  in  this  life,  and  methinks  such 
past  demonstrations  from  his  heart  will  be  mild  in 
comparison  with  the  manner  in  which  he  will  leap,  re- 
joice, shout  and  sing,  when  the  last  enemy  is  destroyed. 

"  Fly,  lingering  moments,  fly,  O  fly, 
Dear  Savior,  quickly  come." 
Fly  swifter  round,  ye  wheels  of  time, 
And  bring  the  welcome  day! 

"The  saints  of  God,  from  death  set  free. 
With   joy   shall   mount   on   high; 
The  heavenly  hosts  with  praises  loud 
Shall  meet  them  in  the  sky. 

"Together    to    their    Father's    house 
With  joyful  hearts  they  go; 
And  dwell  for  ever  with  the  Lord, 
Beyond  the  reach  of  woe. 

"A  few  short  years  of  evil  past, 
We  reach  the  happy  shore, 
Where  death-divided  friends  at  last 
Shall  meet,  to  part  no  more." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

FUNERAL    SERVICES. 


During  the  attack  which  ended  his  days  of  suffering, 
Bro.  Sheldon  said  nothing  about  dying,  nor  anything 
pertaining  to  arrangements  for  his  funeral,  nor  con- 
cerning other  matters  which  one  naturally  desires  to 
hear  spoken  of  at  such  a  time.  Some  four  or  five 
years  before,  he  had  expressed  a  wish  that  Eld.  A.  J. 
Bolster  should  be  sent  for  to  preach  his  funeral  sermon. 
Some  years  ago  Bro.  Bolster  lived  within  ten  miles  of 
Bro.  Sheldon's  home,  and  was  then  a  frequent  guest 
there.  And  later,  when  illness  confined  Bro.  S.  to  his 
home,  Bro.  Bolstc  had  on  different  occasions  put  him- 
self out  to  visit  and  cheer  him  in  his  trials.  And  he 
seemed  to  the  whole  family  as  almost  one  of  their 
number,  so  their  thoughts  naturally  turned  to  him  in 
that  sad  hour.  Responding  to  a  message,  he  immedi- 
ately started  from  his  home  at  Villisca,  Iowa,  arriving 
next  day  at  the  home  of  the  sorrowing  family,  much 
to  their  comfort  and  satisfaction. 

Also  on  the  day  of  his  death,  in  response  to  a  tele- 
phone message,  one  of  Wisconsin's  noblest  young 
ladies.  Sister  Sinda  Clarke,  of  Monticello,  came  to  the 
assistance  of  the  already  worn  out  household,  assisting 
and  comforting  them  in  many  ways,  and  remaining 
nearly  a  week  with  them. 

219 


220  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

The  funeral  services  were  appointed  to  be  held  on 
Friday,  the  14th,  and  the  house  not  being  in  convenient 
form  to  accommodate  a  number  of  people,  it  was 
thought  best  to  obtain  the  use  of  a  church  building; 
and  the  Congregational  church  was  kindly  offered  for 
use — the  same  building  in  which  the  funeral  discourse 
of  his  youngest  son  was  preached. 

Friends  came  from  a  distance,  and  ministering 
brethren  also  came  to  help  lay  him  away  to  rest  for  a 
little  while.  Some  disappointment  was  felt  that  the 
two  of  our  ministers  living  nearest  his  home,  Eld.  A. 
E.  Bloom,  of  Monticello,  and  Eld.  J.  H.  Berkey,  of 
Monroe,  were  both  away  at  the  time,  filling  engage- 
ments previously  made,  and  at  such  a  distance  that 
their  presence  was  impossible ;  yet  the  Lord  sent  others 
to  perform  every  needed  service. 

At  one  o'clock  a  short  service  was  held  at  the  home. 
Elders  H.  Pollard,  B.  Forester,  W.  M.  Stuckey,  and 
A.  J.  Bolster,  whose  voices  formed  a  male  quartette, 
sang  sweetly  and  impressively,  "Look  to  Jesus,  weary 
one; "  and  Eld.  Forester  offered  a  petition  to  the  throne 
of  grace  for  help,  strength  and  grace.  It  seemed  that 
every  word  was  uttered  from  the  very  depths  of  his 
heart.  The  undertaker,  a  fine  Christian  gentleman, 
afterward  stated  that  he  never,  in  all  his  life  and  ex- 
perience, heard  such  a  prayer  before.  The  four 
ministering  brethren  then  tenderly  lifted  the  casket 
containing  the  silent,  peaceful  form,  and  carried  him 
out;  out  from  the  place  he  had  called  "home,"  for 
nearly  thirty-four  years ;  out,  nevermore  to  return. 

"  Ah,  sad  nevermore ; " 
leaving  behind  an  empty  place  which  nothing  can  ever 
fill. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  221 

The  friends  wended  their  way  to  the  Congregational 
church,  where  were  held  the  public  services  over  the 
form  of  the  loved  husband,  father,  and  grand-parent; 
over  the  form  of  one  who  had  stood  for  fifty-five 
years  as  a  representative  of  this  "last  day  people;" 
one  who  was  looked  up  to  as  a  leader,  as  an  example, 
and  as  an  authority  by  that  people. 

Upon  the  casket  lay  his  Bible — the  open  Bible —  that 
book  which  spans  the  chasm  between  this  life  and  the 
life  which  is  to  come,  and  gives  to  us  and  the  church 
the  hope  and  assurance  of  a  life  beyond  the  present, 
which  shall  be  an  endless  life;  when  the  saved  of  all 
ages  and  climes  shall  meet,  nevermore  to  part,  never- 
more to  know  sorrow,  trial,  suffering  or  death;  when 
all  will  be  joy,  peace,  beauty,  and  glory  evermore. 

Upon  the  casket  there  were  also  laid  some  beautiful 
floral  tributes  of  roses,  ferns,  carnations,  etc.,  presented 
by  the  faithful  physician,  the  local  editor,  a  teacher  in 
the  High  School,  and  a  young  lady  visitor  in  the  city 
whose  parents  were  converts  under  his  labors  years 
ago. 

The  service  opened  with  the  singing  of  that  beauti- 
ful, comforting  hymn,  "Comfort  in  Affliction,"  by  the 
quartette  of  ministers,  after  which.  Eld.  H.  Pollard, 
Editor  of  "Our  Hope,"  read  strongly  and  impressively, 
the  Scripture  lesson,  from  1  Thess.  4:  13-18,  and  Rev. 
21:1-7. 

This  lesson  was  followed  by  a  prayer  suited  to  the 
occasion,  by  Eld.  W.  M.  Stuckey,  of  Kansas  City,  after 
which  Eld.  Pollard,  in  his  clear,  rich  voice,  sang  as  a 
solo  that  beautiful  piece  entitled,  "Gone."  "Gone, 
and  the  world  to  go  on  as  before," — accompanied  on 
the  organ  by  Bro.  Stuckey. 


222  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Elder  George  De  Beer,  pastor  of  the  A.  C.  church  of 
Magnolia,  was  present;  and  he  and  the  Congregational 
and  Baptist  pastors  of  the  city  were  seated  on  the 
platform,  with  the  others  of  our  ministry  here  men- 
tioned. 

At  the  conclusion  of  these  preliminary  services  Eld. 
A.  J.  Bolster  spoke  words  of  gospel  hope,  cheer,  and 
comfort  to  the  sorrowing  family,  brethren,  sisters, 
neighbors  and  friends.  In  his  opening  remarks  he 
stated  that,  if  feeling  were  a  safe  criterion,  he  would 
take  his  seat  with  the  dear,  mourning  friends;  but, 
he  said,"  We  come,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  pay  a 
loving  tribute  of  respect  to  a  recognized  leader,  and 
to  voice  the  faith  for  which  he  so  nobly  stood.  We 
desire  to  make  this  occasion  an  expression  of  the  deep 
love  and  reverence  of  the  ministry  for  the  departed 
brother.  He  has  been  a  leader  among  us,  and  we 
believed  him  to  be  a  wise  and  safe  expounder  of  the 
Word  of  God.  It  would  be  possible  to  spend  the  time 
allotted  to  this  service  in  eulogizing  one  who  is  loved 
from  Maine  to  California,  but  we  are  reminded  by  that 
open  Bible  upon  his  casket  that  Bro.  Sheldon  would 
say:  'Spend  no  needless  time  in  mere  eulogy,  but 
give  the  people  the  Word.' 

We  would  be  glad  to  insert  here  the  sermon  which 
followed,  word  for  word  as  it  was  there  uttered,  so 
full  was  it  of  truth,  hope,  inspiration,  and  comfort, 
and  spoken  from  so  kindly  a  heart;  but  a  brief  synopsis 
only  can  be  given  at  this  date,  as  our  Bro.  kept  only 
a  brief  outline  of  the  discourse. 

Text  Prov.  14:  32.— "The  righteous  hath  hope  in 
death."     He   divided   his   subject   into   three   parts, 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  223 

dealing  with  them  in  the  following  order:     I.     The 
Righteous.     II.     Death.     III.     A  Biblical  Hope. 

1.  The  Righteous. — 1.  Qnc  who  is  free  from 
sin.  See  1st  John,  1:  7-9.  Thank  God  for  a  com- 
plete cleansing !  Our  brother  knew  much  of  the  sweets 
of  redeeming  love,  and  the  efficacy  of  the  blood  of  our 
divine  Lord. 

2.  One  who  has  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
See  Rom.  8:  9,  16.  In  these  days  of  so  much  laxity 
in  Christian  experience,  we  desire  to  emphasize  this 
very  important  point.  May  His  soothing  influence 
be  ours  on  this  sad  occasion. 

3.  One  who  loves  Jesus'  words.  Some  who 
heartily  endorse  the  other  propositions,  may  hesitate 
before  fully  accepting  this  one.  Hear  what  Jesus 
says  in  Mark  8:  38.  Add  to  this  the  testimony  of 
Paul  in  Rom.  1:  16.  It  would  prove  a  rich  blessing 
to  the  church,  if  all  who  profess  to  love  Jesus  had 
sufficient  respect  for  His  words  to  believe,  and  obey 
them. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  there  is  perfect  salva- 
tion in  Jesus  Christ,  yet  it  is  solemnly  true  that  right- 
eous people  do  actually  die.  This  brings  us  to  our 
second  point,  namely: 

II.  Death. — Death  means  cessation  of  life.  When 
we  consider  the  meaning  of  life,  all  is  plain.  "Life  is 
that  condition  in  which  animals  and  plants  exist  with 
capability  of  exercising  their  natural  functions." 
Theologians  do  not  readily  accept  this  plain  fact,  but 
the  Bible  is  in  perfect  accord  therewith.  Death  is  a 
sad  subject  to  consider,  but  to  Scripturally  compre- 
hend it,  is  calculated  to  magnify  Christ. 


224  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

According  to  Gen.  3: 16  to  19,  death  is: 

1.  A  returning  to  the  earth.  The  motherhood  of 
our  race  can  testify  to  the  literality  of  the  penalty  in- 
flicted upon  the  woman.  Man's  penalty  was  exactly 
as  literal. 

2.  It  is  called  sleep.  See  1st  Thess.  4:  13-18. 
Christ  calls  it  sleep.  See  John  11:  11.  Sleep  and 
death  are  synonyms.  See  Psa.  13 :  3.  All  undisturbed, 
natural  sleep  reduces  one  to  unconsciousness.  Cer- 
tainly death  can  accomplish  as  much.  In  fact,  the 
Bible  expressions  teach : 

3.  An  unconscious  state.  See  Psa.  6:  5;  Eccl.  9: 
5,  10;  Psa.  146:  4.  Here  the  dark  scene  closes.  If 
there  is  no  interposition  of  divine  power,  death  will 
prove  an  endless  sleep.  Thank  God,  there  is  a  bright 
side  to  this  picture!     Our  third  point  is: 

III.  A  Biblical  Hope. — 1.  The  only  basis  for 
true  hope,  in  this  case,  is  a  resurrected  Christ.  See 
1st  Cor.  15:  12-18.  It  was  the  same  Jesus.  Proof: 
Acts  10:  40,  41 ;  Luke  24:  36-43.  A  positive  testimony 
that  he  actually  arose. 

2.  This  re-living  Christ  is  an  exact  sample  of  what 
believers  will  be.  See  1st  Cor.  15:  20.  Do  not  hesi- 
tate to  believe  that  the  harvest  will  correspond  with 
the  sample. 

3.  He  has  power  to  raise  sleeping  saints.  Proof; 
Rev.  1:  17,  18;  Rom.  14:  7-9.  All  power  is  given  unto 
Him,  and  in  due  time  He  will  exercise  it. 

4.  He  will  fashion  them  like  unto  Himself.  See 
Phil.  3 :  20,  21 ;  1st  Cor.  15 :  49-56.  We  must  not  over- 
look the  fact  that  we  must  be  like  Him  morally  now, 
if  we  expect  to  be  made  physically  like  Him  then. 

5.  Then  there  shall  be  no  more  death.     See  Rev. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  225 

21:  1-4.  Oh,  glorious  hope!  It  is  (a)  Sure.  (6) 
Purifying,     (c)     Nearing  fruition. 

Bro.  Sheldon  has  stood  for  it  for  many  years,  and 
we  are  satisfied  it  will  be  a  source  of  strength  to  these 
stricken  hearts,  for  they,  too,  love  the  precious  words 
of  Jesus. 

Dear  Sister  Sheldon,  daughters,  and' grand-children, 
we  now  commend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  Word  of 
His  grace.  ]\Iay  you  form  an  unbroken  family  when 
the  Master  comes.  My  dear  brethren  in  the  ministry, 
let  us  close  up  our  seriously  depleted  ranks,  as  best  we 
can.  Let  us  be  inspired  by  the  faithful  example  of 
our  heroic  leader,  to  never  forsake  these  Biblical  teach- 
ings, but  declare  them  lovingly,  yet  fearlessly,  until 
Jesus  comes.  May  each  present  on  this  denomina- 
tional mourning  day,  so  live  as  to  meet  our  esteemed 
brother  in  that  tearless,  painless,  deathless,  "world 
to  come."     Amen,  and  Amen! 

At  the  sermon's  close  Eld.  DeBeer  offered  prayer- 
after  which  the  male  quartette  again  sang  a  most  ap- 
propriate song,  the  words  of  which  are  the  composition 
of  our  dear  Bro.  Bolster.  This  had  been  written  a 
few  months  previous,  at  the  special  request  of  the 
writer  of  this  narrative;  and,  by  request,  Eld.  A.  E. 
Bloom  had  furnished  a  most  suitable  melody  for  it. 
This  song  became  a  great  favorite  with  Bro.  Sheldon, 
and  it  fitted  in  very  appropriately  after  that  sermon. 
As  was  remarked  by  an  outsider,  "It  seemed  as  though 
it  had  been  composed  expressly  for  this  occasion." 
(The  hymn  will  be  inserted  at  the  end  of  this  chapter.) 
It  was  very  effectively  and  impressively  rendered  by 
the  quartette. 

Sadly,  yes,  sadly!  we  wended  our  way  to  the  "city 


226  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

of  the  dead,"  Brodhead's  "Greenwood,"  where  had  been 
prepared  the  last  resting  place  of  the  sleeper,  by  the 
side  of  his  two  sons,  who  for  some  years  had  been  sleep- 
ing there.  Though  the  ground  was  covered  with  snow 
and  the  wind  blew  chill,  the  family,  brethren,  and 
friends  surrounded  that  "bed,"  and  the  dear  form  was 
lowered  lovingly,  tenderly,  sorrowfully,  by  the  quartette 
of  ministers;  there  to  rest  until  the  "  Life-Giver"  comes 
and  gives  him,  and  all  saints,  the  touch  of  immortality. 

The  words,  "Wait  a  little  while;  Then  we'll  sing  the 
New  Song, "  rang  out  clearly  and  comfortingly  on  the 
chill  winter's  air,  sung  by  the  ministers  gifted  with 
song;  and  Bro.  Bolster  committed  the  sacred  form  to 
the  care  and  keeping  of  the  heavenly  Father,  and  in- 
voked the  Father's  blessing  upon  one  and  all. 

It  seemed  that  the  presence  of  these  four  ministers 
and  of  the  other  friends  imparted  strength  to  the  im- 
mediate family,  which  enabled  them  to  bear  up  at  the 
time,  and  made  the  sting  less  sharp.  The  gospel  hope 
was  set  before  them,  in  song,  prayer,  and  in  the  sermon, 
and  they  were  enabled  to  "lay  hold  of  the  hope  set 
before  them,"  realizing  in  their  hearts  that  only  a 
little  in  the  future  their  hopes  will  be  realized  and  the 
broken  family  circle  will  again  be  complete. 

Of  his  father's  family  there  is  but  one  left,  his 
brother  Dillon  D.  Sheldon,  of  Minnesota,  who,  on 
account  of  poor  health,  and  the  distance,  was  unable 
to  be  present. 

Methinks  even  now  we  can  see  him  as  he  will  come 
forth,  robed  in  immortality,  freed  from  pain,  sickness, 
and  death.  How  he  will  rejoice  and  sing!  how  he  will 
shout,  and  clasp  glad  hands  with  the  redeemed  hosts! 
Yea,  what  will  he  not  do?  for  there  will  be,  not  time 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  227 

but  an  Eternity  before  him;  and  no  ache,  nor  pain,  nor 
sorrow,  nor  memory  of  these  earthly  woes,  will  ever 
come  up  to  mar  or  molest.  For  that  day  he  prayed,  lived , 
"endured  hardness,  "and  "fought  the  good  fight."  And 
that  day  will  soon,  thank  God,  soon,  fore  verbe  his.  That 
hope  is  the  consolation  of  his  family;  and  his  church, 
his  conference,  his  people,  claim  it  as  their  comfort. 


WE  SHALL  RISE. 

On  the  promised  third  day  morning, 

Jesus  walked   from  Joseph's  tomb. 
Thus  on  Satan  he  served  warning 

Of  an  everlasting  doom; 
For  the  grave  could  not  retain  him, 

Though  the  human  path  he  trod; 
But  the  bands  of  death  must  yield  him, 

As  he  was  the  Son  of  God. 

Chorus  : 

We  shall  rise,  we  shall  rise; 
In  the  resurrection  morning  we  shall  rise^ 

We  shall  rise,  we  shall  rise; 
Hallelujah,  hallelujah;    we  shall  rise. 

This  gives  hope  in  Jesus'  coming 

For  the  saints  who  sleep  in  him; 
They  shall  waken  in  the  morning, 

Then  their  eyes  shall  ne'er  grow  dim] 
Though  by  nature  they  are  mortal 

And  are  subject  to  decline, 
They  shall  then  be  made  immortal. 

And  in  Jesus'  image  shine. 

When  the  graves  give  up  their  treasure, 
And  the  dead  to  life  are  brought, 

Then  their  joy  no  one  can  measure 
Who  Avith  Jesus'  blood  were  bought; 


228  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

For  the  prophets  have  been  writing 

Of  that  day  so  soon  to  come; 
And  a  few  are  still  delighting 

In  the  thought  of  home,  sweet  home. 

Glory,  glory  be  to  Jesus! 

For  this  resurrection  hope; 
How  it  thrills,  and  tends  to  shield  us, 

In  the  midst  of  much  false  hope; 
We  will  tell  it,  we  will  sing  it. 

While  we  wait  the  day  foretold; 
Still  we'll  tell  it,  and  we'll  sing  it, 

When  we  walk  the  streets  of  gold. 

Bass  Chorus: 
When  the  trump  of  God  shall  sound  and  the  dead  in  Christ 

shall  rise. 
In  the  resurrection  morning  we  shall  rise,  we  shall  rise; 
Oh  then  let  the  trumpet  sound,  and  the  dead  in  Christ  arise; 
Hallelujah,  hallelujah;    we  shall  rise. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

WORDS    OF   SYMPATHY. 


A  few  extracts  from  letters  of  condolence  and 
sympathy  are  given  here,  as  examples  only.  It  would 
be  too  saddening  to  give  all ;  and  for  the  same  reason  these 
are  not  given  in  full.  The  writers  not  mentioned  here 
must  not  feel  slighted,  as  these  are  taken  almost  at 
random.  All  are  highly  appreciated  and  do  us  much 
good. 

Bro.  Chas  H.  Woodman  of  the  Crisis  Office,  Boston, 
wrote : 

"The  death  of  your  father  will  cause  a  deep  shadow 
to  fall  over  our  entire  denomination.  My  own  heart 
sometimes  nearly  breaks,  when  I  see  our  older  preach- 
ers falling  by  the  cruel  hand  of  death.  I  often  wonder 
who  will,  or  can,  fill  their  places.  You  have  my 
sincere  sympathy  and  earnest  prayers  that  the  God 
of  all  grace  may  sustain  you  in  this  sad  hour." 

Eld.  Geo.  E.  Tyler,  Bristol,  Conn.,  wrote: 
"I  must  communicate  to  you  my  sense  of  sorrow 
occasioned  by  the  sad  tidings  from  your  Western 
home.  Every  Adventist  from  shore  to  shore  must 
feel  a  sense  of  great  loss  at  the  death  of  your  dear 
father.  I  have  met  him  and  with  great  pleasure  have 
heard  him  preach  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ. 
His  writings  also  have  been  a  great  help  to  me,  and 

229 


230  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

they  have  afforded  great  light  and  instruction  to  thou- 
sands, upon  the  truths  held  particularly  by  the  Ad- 
ventist  people.  Yourself  and  family  have  our  pro- 
found sympathy;  and  may  grace  be  given  in  your 
present  affliction,  that 

'Though  seen  through  many  a  tear, 
Your  star  of  hope  may  not  grow  dim  or  disappear.' 

"Sincerely  yours  in  the  Hope." 

Eld.  F.  A.  Baker,  Mendota,  111.,  wrote: 
"We  read  the  sad  telegram  in  our  prayer-meeting, 
and  many  prayers  were  offered  for  your  family.  Also 
many  spoke  of  the  great  and  efficient  labors  of  Bro. 
Sheldon.  I  have  just  been  down  to  the  office,  and 
learned  from  Bro.  Pollard  all  about  the  last  sad  rites. 
Please  accept  our  sympathy  and  condolence  in  this 
hour  of  your  deep  affliction.  Deeply  as  you  may 
sorrow,  you  have  the  supreme  comfort  to  know  that 
the  beloved,  so  widely  known,  so  highly  respected, 
and  so  sincerely  loved,  rests  from  his  arduous  toils  and 
severe  sufferings." 

Eld.  J.  August  Smith,  of  Rockford,  111.,  wrote: 
"This  is  indeed  a  great  loss  to  us  all,  and  we  have  no 
one  to  take  his  place.  I  am  sorry  I  was  away,  so  that 
I  could  not  be  present  at  the  sad  services.  May  our 
heavenly  Father  support  you  in  this  sad  bereavement, 
and  give  you  strength  to  endure  this  sad  affliction." 

Eld.  William  McCulloch  and  wife,  Red  Oak,  Iowa, 
wrote : 

"It  is  with  deepest  feelings  of  sadness  and  sorrow, 
and  sympathy  for  you  and  family,  that  we  learn  of 
the  death  of  Bro.  Sheldon.     And  may  the  God  of  all 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  231 

grace  and  mercy  have  compassion;  and  grant  you  and 
all  interested  all  the  grace  and  strength  necessary  to 
bear  the  heavy  stroke  that  has  fallen  upon  you. 
Please  accept  our  sympathy  and  condolence  in  this 
very  sad  affliction.  Please  accept  the  enclosed  as  a 
token  of  our  regards  and  sympathy." 

Eld.  Marshall  McCulloch,  Roslyn,  111.,  wrote: 
"  For  a  week  or  more  I  had  been  feeling  quite  sorrow- 
ful on  account  of  my  brother,  H.  G.'s  death,  two  years 
ago  to-day.  And  on  going  to  the  post-ofhce  yesterday 
I  received  Our  Hope,  and  by  it  I  was  apprised  of  the 
death  of  our  dear  Bro.  Sheldon;  and  as  I  read  in  the 
office  I  turned  my  back  to  the  people  to  conceal  the 
tears  which  I  could  not  keep  back.  My  mind  ran 
rapidly  back  over  the  past  forty-seven  years,  to 
the  time  when  he  married  me  at  North  Adams,  Mass. 
Since  that  time  we  have  been  as  closely  connected  as 
brothers  could  be,  with  fields  of  labor  so  far  apart. 
And  I  owe  it  very  largely  to  him  that  I  am  what  I  am, 
and  the  success  I  have  had  in  my  gospel  labors, — 
though  small  compared  with  his  own  and  many  others'. 
I  have  considered  myself  his  student,  and  carefully 
read  and  re-read  his  many  publications;  and  I  have 
now  quite  a  number  of  his  tracts  and  pamphlets, 
which  I  prize  very  highly.  But  my  dear  Brother 
sleeps:  your  beloved  husband  is  at  rest;  his  agonies  so 
excruciating  are  now  ended.  He  will  need  no  more 
the  tender  care  of  a  beloved  companion,  for  he  quietly 
sleeps.  But,  thanks  be  to  our  God,  the  morning  will 
dawn  ere  long;  and  then  \vith  him  your  'Stroll  through 
Paradise'  will  commence.  Oh  what  a  thought!  What 
a  hope  is  ours!     What  a  meeting,  and  what  greetings 


232  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

there!  What  a  rapture!  Blessed  be  God,  who  giveth 
us  the  victory  (over  death)  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  And  I  can  but  write  Rev,  14:  13,  "Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth: 
Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labors;  and  their  works  do  follow  them."  Oh,  how 
true  of  our  Brother!  His  work  was  well  done,  and 
many  will  rise  up  and  call  him  blessed." 

Elder  J.  H.  Berkey,  of  Monroe,  Wis.,  wrote  from 
Boston,  Mass.: 

"I  only  wish  that  I  could  say  something  that  would 
help  you,  but  in  the  great  trial  that  has  come  to  you 
we  are  all  helpless.  We  can  only  do  what  Jesus  did — 
weep.  I  want  you  to  know  that  you  have  my  Christian 
love  and  sympathy;  and  may  the  God  of  consolation 
sustain  you  and  help  you  to  be  patient." 

Rev.  G.  W.  Nuzum,  Viroqua,  Wis. ;  formerly  Method- 
ist pastor  in  Brodhead,  and  still  earlier  having  been 
with  Bro.  Sheldon  in  Springville,  wrote : 

"Doubtless  you  feel  lone  and  sad,  and  I  thought  I 
would  drop  you  a  few  lines  to  say  my  prayer  is  that 
'the  Judge  of  the  widow'  may  be  your  daily  comfort. 
And  I  know  he  will,  for  I  felt  in  my  soul  you  were  both 
his  dear  children,  though  your  path  has  been  thorny. 
You  and  Bro.  S.  were  inspirations  to  me  when  I  was 
pastor  there.  Your  and  his  testimonies  and  prayers 
did  me  good;  and  he  preached  for  me  more  than  one 
good  sermon.  May  God  bless  and  comfort  you  and 
his  dear  children." 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  233 

COPY   OF  RESOLUTIONS 
ON    THE    DEATH    OF   ELD.    WILLIAM   SHELDON, 
OF    BRODHEAD,    WIS. 


Whereas,  the  enemy,  death,  has  taken  from  our 
ranks  our  beloved  brother,  and  pioneer  standard- 
bearer.  Eld.  William  Sheldon,  of  Brodhead  Wis.: 
therefore,  be  it 

Resolved:  That  in  his  death  the  cause  of  Ad- 
ventual  truth  has  lost  a  consecrated  leader,  and  an 
able  defender. 

Resolved:  That  we  extend  to  the  family  of  our 
deceased  brother  our  heartfelt  sympathy  and  high 
appreciation  of  his  sterling  worth  and  scholarly  ability. 
For  half  a  century  he  labored  incessantly  for  the  pro- 
motion and  growth  of  Second  Adventism.  And  after 
all  those  years  of  trial  we  have  ever  found  him  to  be, 
in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word,  a  Christian,  kind  in 
his  home,  public  spirited  in  the  community,  sincere 
in  religion,  useful  in  society,  and  as  an  exponent  of 
God's  Word,  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be 
ashamed.  Though  for  many  years  afflicted  by  disease 
and  pain,  he  continued  to  earnestly  labor  with  his  pen, 
when  his  voice  could  no  longer  be  heard;  ever  patient 
and  never  complaining  of  his  lot. 

Resolved:  That  we  point  our  ministry  to  our  de- 
ceased brother  as  an  example  of  what  a  godly  man 
and  a  Christian  minister  should  be. 

Resolved:  That  these  resolutions  be  spread  upon 
our  records,  and  that  copies  be  sent  to  our  denomina- 
tional press,  and  to  the  local  papers  of  Brodhead,  Wis., 
for  publication. 


234  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Passed  by  the  Western  Advent  Christian  Publica- 
tion Association,  at  its  Annual  Meeting,  on  Mendota 
camp-ground.  Illinois,  on  the  21st  of  August,  1902. 
Geo.  E.  Pullen,  Secretary. 


"The  Savior  died,   but  rose  again 
Triumphant  from  the  grave; 
And  pleads  our  cause  at  God's  right  hand, 
Omnipotent  to  save. 

"Who  then  can  e'er  divide  us  more 
From  Jesus  and  his  love, 
Or  break  the   sacred   chain   that  binds 
The  earth  to  heaven  above? 

"Nor  death  nor  life,  nor  earth  nor  hell, 
Nor  time's  destroying  sway, 
Can  e'er  efface  us  from  his  heart 
Or  make  his  love  decay." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

AN   UNPUBLISHED   MANUSCRIPT. 


This  book  would  be  incomplete  without  some 
specimens  of  his  writings — which  reproduce  their 
author's  well  known  and  characteristic  style,  and  also 
his  religious  views.  Therefore  we  give  here  a  hitherto 
unpublished  manuscript  on  The  Two  Adams;  which 
will  appropriately  be  followed  by  some  of  his  editorial 
or  contributed  articles  on  Christ,  some  on  Prophecy; 
some  Expository;  and  some  on  Practical  subjects. 
To  these  we  add  a  table  of  Chronology,  believed  to 
embody  the  results  of  his  latest  researches. 

It  should  perhaps  be  stated  that  his  editorial  con- 
tributions In  our  papers  were  signed  "w.  s.,"  and 
some  readers  were  not  aware  that  this  stood  for 
William  Sheldon. 

Many  pointed,  pithy  paragraphs,  as  well  as  more 
lengthy  essays  on  various  Bible  subjects,  appeared 
from  his  pen;  and  by  many  he  was  best  known  as  a 
writer.  We  must,  therefore,  reproduce  him  as  an 
author,  to  some  limited  extent,  to  do  justice  to  his  life 
and  his  life-work. 


235 


236        LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 


THE  TWO  ADAMS; 
AND  OUR  RELATION  TO  THEM, 
PAST  AND  FUTURE. 


The  First  Adam's  History. 

1.  His  Trial  State. — That  we  are  the  posterity 
of  the  first  man  named  in  the  sacred  record,  called 
Adam,  and  also  styled,  "the  first  Adam,"  is  a  conceded 
point.  1st.  Let  us  glance  at  him  in  his  preparatory 
nature  and  home. 

Some  theologians  affirm  that  he  was  created  im- 
mortal; others,  that  he  was  created  mortal;  and  still 
others  claim  that  he  was  neither  mortal  nor  immortal. 
We  cannot  admit  that  he  was  created  immortal,  or 
death-proof,  for  God  would  never  have  announced 
the  doom  of  death  to  a  death-proof  man,  in  case  he 
should  eat  of  a  prohibited  tree!  Nor  would  he  have 
assured  him  that  he  might  "live  for  ever"  by  partaking 
of  another  tree!  On  the  other  hand,  if  he  had  been 
created  mortal,  the  forbidden  tree  could  not  have 
reduced  him  to  a  dying  state ;  seeing  mortality  culmi- 
nates in  death,  without  receiving  the  death  element 
from  any  other  source.  But  when  we  are  told  that  man 
was  created  neither  mortal  nor  immortal,  we  confess 
that  we  do  not  like  this  way  of  stating  the  primitive 
nature  of  man  in  Eden,  while  a  candidate  for  immor- 
tality, since  there  are  different  conceptions  of  the 
meaning  of  the  term,  "mortal," — some  using  the  term 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  237 

in  one  sense,  and  some  in  another;  thus  inaugurating 
confusion  of  thought,  instead  of  rendering  the  matter 
clear  to  the  inquiring  mind:  for  we  sometimes  hear  the 
term  "mortal"  used  to  express  a  capability  of  death; 
and  at  other  times  subjection  to  the  necessity  of  dying, 
a  death-doomed  state,  or  a  death  tendency.  If  we  were 
to  use  the  term,  mortal,  in  the  first  sense  here  named 
(a  death  capability),  we  should  say  that  man  was 
made  mortal;  but  if  we  were  to  use  the  term  in  the 
second  sense  here  specified,  as  indicating  a  death 
tendency,  we  should  say  that  he  was  not  created 
mortal,  or  was  not  a  death-doomed  being  constitu- 
tionally. 

The  sacred  record  forces  us  to  the  conviction  that 
primitive  man  was  created  with  a  constitutional 
capacity  for  perpetual  longevity,  if  not  interfered  with; 
and  yet  with  a  capability  of  having  death  imparted  to 
him,  or  inflicted  upon  him ;  else  the  statement  that  the 
eating  of  the  interdicted  tree  would  bring  death  to  him 
would  have  been  incorrect;  for  no  being  could  be 
reduced  to  a  dying  state  who  was  already  in  that  state : 
nor  can  we  make  the  death  announced  to  Adam  for 
disobedience  signify  moral  death,  without  involving 
the  salvation  of  the  race,  regardless  of  character,  since 
Paul  affirms:  "As  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ 
shall  all  be  made  alive,"  1  Cor.  15:  22.  This  involved 
conclusion  of  universal  salvation  nullifies  the  claim 
that  the  death  incurred  by  Adam  was  moral  death. 
In  Christ,  or  by  Christ  (as  the  phrase  means),  all  shall 
be  made  alive  literally;  just  as  "in  Him  we  live,  and 
move,  and  have  our  being  "  (Acts  17: 28). 

If  Adam  had  not  eaten  of  the  death-dealing  tree,  he 
could  have  lived  on  unlimitedly,  just  as  the  demons 


238  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

now  do,  who,  though  they  have  not  the  corrupted 
human  nature,  are  capable  of  having  death  inflicted 
upon  them  (for  the  devil  is  to  be  destroyed),  which 
could  not  be  the  case  if  demons  were  death-proof  in 
nature. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  Adam  had  been  created  im- 
mortal, that  is,  by  nature  incapable  of  dying,  he  could 
have  laughed  at  the  warning  that  he  would  incur 
death  by  eating  of  the  forbidden  tree;  and  could  have 
told  the  Lord  that  he  should  live  forever  without  the 
tree  of  life,  being  already  death-proof. 

Man's  primitive  or  preparatory  nature,  therefore, 
was  neither  a  death-proof  one,  nor  a  dying  nature; 
but  rather  a  nature  of  unlimited  longevity  if  not  inter- 
fered with,  but  capable  of  elevation  or  of  degradation 
— capable  of  having  death  inflicted,  or  deathlessness 
imparted.  In  the  tree  of  life  was  miraculously  deposited 
an  element  that  would  mparf  deathlessness,  and  in  the 
other  tree  an  element  that  rendered  man  a  death-doomed 
being.  That  the  tree  of  life  contained  an  element 
that  would  render  man  death-proof,  all  admit;  but 
some  fail  to  grasp  the  fact  that  the  prohibited  tree 
just  as  really  contained  a  death-dealing  element  that 
should  impart  the  dying  nature. 

God  did  not  threaten  to  inflict  death  upon  Adam 
for  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  but  simply  told  him 
what  the  result  would  be — namely,  death — and  to 
forestall  that  result,  he  made  a  law  against  his  eating 
thereof;  and  the  transgression  of  that  law  was  sin; 
therefore  Adam  could  not  partake  thereof  without  sm;  so 
"Sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin"  in 
eating  of  the  death-dealing  tree — not  as  a  penalty,  but 
as  a  calamity  or  result  that  would  just  as  surely  have 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  239 

been  involved  by  eating  of  this  tree  had  there  been  no 
law  against  it.  The  act  was  sin;  but  death  was  an 
imparted  result,  nevertheless,  instead  of  a  penalty; 
and  it  is  in  the  world  still,  as  a  transmitted  result,  and 
not  as  a  penalty. 

But  the  objection  is  blindly  raised  that  man  could 
not  have  been  created  "neither  mortal  nor  immortal" 
in  any  sense  of  the  term,  mortal,  since  he  must  neces- 
sarily have  been  one  or  the  other.  When  the  different 
senses  of  the  word,  mortal,  are  kept  in  mind,  this  is  a 
shallow  dodge:  ignoring  the  fact  of  a  preparatory 
nature.  To  illustrate:  Adam  was  created  neither 
dead  nor  alive,  in  spite  of  the  claim  that  he  must  have 
been  one  or  the  other.  Before  "the  breath  of  life" 
was  given  him  he  was  not  alive;  nor,  having  never  lived, 
was  he  then  dead,  having  never  died:  he  was  only 
lifeless,  inanimate,  ready  to  be  made  alive.  He 
could  not  die  before  living,  nor  be  dead  before  dy- 
ing. "While  a  dead  thing  is  lifeless,  all  lifeless  things 
are  not  necessarily  "dead,"  in  the  strict  sense  of 
that  word.  So  in  one  use  of  the  term  "mortal"  to 
signify  death-doomed,  Adam  was  created  neither  mor- 
tal nor  immortal;  but  in  another  use  of  the  same 
term,  indicating  a  capability  of  having  death  imparted 
or  inflicted,  he  w^as  created  mortal,  or  capable  of  hav- 
ing his  preparatory  life  abridged  by  eating  of  the  for- 
bidden tree  which  would  cause  men  to  "know  good 
and  evil," — evil  being  here  used  to  signify  calamity 
(as  in,  "few  and  evil  have  the  days  "  been,  Gen.  47 :  9) — 
a  calamity  which  has  not  only  been  manifested  to, 
but  experienced  by  the  race. 

2.  Adam's  Home.  Man  was  formed  on  earth, 
and  of  earth,  and  for  earth — not  in  heaven,  nor  for 


240  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

heaven.  Earth  was  the  place  of  his  abode:  "And 
the  Lord  God  planted  a  garden  [Douay,  a  paradise] 
eastward  in  Eden;  and  there  he  put  the  man  whom 
he  had  formed.  And  out  of  the  ground  made  the 
Lord  God  to  grow  every  tree  that  is  pleasant  to  the 
sight,  and  good  for  food.  .  .  .  And  a  river  went  out 
of  Eden  to  water  the  garden  [or  paradise];  and  from 
thence  [from  the  garden]  it  was  parted,  and  became 
into  four  heads"  (Gen.  2:8-10),  these  four  rivers 
gracefully  flowing  out  of  the  paradise,  coursing  their 
way  through  different  portions  of  the  then  lovely 
world.  But  sin  came,  and  expulsion  from  paradise 
soon  followed;  and  man  having  imbibed  the  dying 
nature,  and  having  been  expelled  from  his  lovely 
home,  is  confronted  with  the  stern  fact  that  the  very 
ground  was  cursed  on  his  account:  ''Cursed  is  the 
ground  for  thy  sake" — thorns  and  thistles  rendering 
human  toil  necessary  to  procure  a  livelihood. 

Many  scientific  facts  indicate  that  the  earth  once 
revolved  with  its  axis  perpendicular  to  the  plane  of 
its  orbit,  thus  giving  the  world  a  genial  climate  from 
pole  to  pole;  modified  and  equalized  by  the  waters 
which  were  placed  "above  the  firmament,"  (margin, 
"Hebrew,  expansion,"  Gen.  1:6),  or  atmospheric 
heaven  at  creation,  producing  a  filtered  light;  per- 
haps revolving  in  the  form  of  rings  or  belts  like  Sat- 
urn's; and  doubtless  this  genial  and  healthful  climate 
continued  till  the  flood,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
ground  was  cursed.  Then,  at  the  flood,  a  new  in- 
stallment of  the  curse  overtook  the  world  by  up- 
heavals and  outgushing  waters,  besides  those  from 
above;  since  which  time  the  earth  has  revolved  at 
an   angle   of   233^    degrees,    producing   the   different 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON,  241 

zones,  and  the  variety  of  climates  now  existing,  ren- 
dering a  large  portion  of  earth  uninhabitable;  besides 
changing  its  once  fair  face,  obliterating  the  site  of 
paradise,  blotting  out  the  original  source  of  the  one 
grand  river  of  Eden  and  its  four  divisions  into  four 
streams — "the  fountains  of  the  great  deep"  being 
then  "broken  up:"  this  probably  being  inaugurated 
by  a  change  of  our  earth  in  its  orbit  to  its  present 
angle;  for  such  a  change  would  produce  just  such 
a  result;  as  is  claimed  by  scientists:  nor  could  zones 
be  formed  otherwise. 

Adam,  before  the  fall,  had  "dominion  .  .  .  over 
all  the  earth"  (Gen.  1:26).  He  was  an  embryotic, 
or  prospective  king.  Though  possessing  only  unlim- 
ited constitutional  life — capable  of  being  changed  to 
the  mortal  or  to  the  immortal  state — he  was  on  trial 
for  endless  life.  How  long  that  trial  state  lasted  is 
not  certain;  possibly  for  the  same  length  of  time  that 
was  subsequently  given  to  the  Second  Adam  for  his 
trial. 

Adam  had  no  posterity  before  leaving  paradise,  his 
third  son,  from  whom  came  Noah,  and  all  after  the 
flood,  being  born  when  he  was  130  years  old:  so 
his  race  have  only  the  dying  nature,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence the  world  is  flooded  with  death. 

In  spite  of  the  impartation  of  the  death-element 
from  the  forbidden  tree,  a  lingering  relic  of  man's 
constitutional  longevity  in  a  genial  climate  before 
the  flood,  enabled  him  to  live,  on  an  average,  over 
912  years,  in  spite  of  the  slow-working  death-element. 
These  favorable  climatic  conditions  were  doubtless 
changed  at  the  flood;  for  immediately  after  that 
epoch   human   life   was    wonderfully   diminished,    so 


242  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

that  Abraham,  though  born  less  than  300  [? — com- 
mon date  is  352]  years  after  the  flood,  died  at  175 
years  of  age,  and  was  pronounced  "an  old  man,  full 
of  days;"  whereas,  the  ten  generations  from  Adam 
to  Noah,  averaged  a  life  of  over  912  years.  This 
fact  is  a  rebuke  to  the  claim  sometimes  made,  that 
Adam  had  eaten  of  the  tree  of  life  before  his  fall, 
producing  long  life;  and  that  its  influence  was  grad- 
ually diminished  in  each  succeeding  generation,  mak- 
ing life  shorter  and  shorter;  for  the  tenth  generation 
(Noah)  lived  twenty  years  longer  than  Adam  himself. 
— twenty  years  longer  than  the  first  generation. 

And  this  claim  is  also  nullified  in  the  state- 
ment made  by  the  Lord  subsequent  to  the  fall  of 
man:  "And  now,  lest  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and 
take  ALSO  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat,  and  live  for  ever : 
therefore  the  Lord  God  sent  him  forth  from  the  gar- 
den of  Eden"  (Gen.  3:22,  23).  If  once  eating  of 
the  forbidden  fruit  would  cause  man  to  die,  and  if 
once  eating  of  the  tree  of  life  after  the  fall  would 
render  man  deathless,  then  once  eating  before  the 
fall  would  have  done  the  same  thing — so  he  did  not 
eat  thereof  before  the  fall. 

Observe  carefully  this  fact:  the  text  does  not  read, 
Lest  he  put  forth  his  hand  and  continue  to  take; 
or,  take  again  of  the  tree  of  life;  but  it  reads,  "take 
also,"  and  the  Hebrew  word  (gam)  here  rendered 
"also,"  is  said  by  Prof.  A.  [Pick  in  his  Concordance, 
to  mean  "even"  so;  and  in  our  version  it  is  rendered 
"even,  also,  alike,  likewise,  in  like  manner," — see 
under  these  several  terms  in  Young's  Concordance. 
We  repeat,  if  once  eating  after  the  fall  would  have 
rendered  Adam  deathless,  then  likewise  once  eating 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  243 

before  the  fall  would  as  really  have  rendered  him 
deathless,  or  immortal;  so  it  is  clearly  evident  that 
he  had  not  eaten  thereof  previous  to  the  fall.  If 
he  must  have  eaten  for  ever  in  order  to  live  for  ever 
before  the  fall,  the  same  must  be  the  case  after  the 
fall — which  would  prove  only  a  contingent  life,  in- 
stead of  endless  life,  making  the  life  only  successive 
new  installments  of  temporal  life  or  a  life  liable  to 
end,  without  a  new  supply  ever  and  anon.  This 
kind  of  immortality  would  be  a  misnomer — a  kind 
of  deathlessness  that  needed  constant  propping  up, 
to  keep  it  from  failing.  This  is  not  the  immortality 
of  the  Bible,  but  only  of  sickly  speculation. 

II. 

The  Last  Adam's  Mission. 

Paul  affirms  that  the  last  Adam  is  "the  Lord  from 
heaven" — the   Lord  Jesus. 

L  His  Trial.  He,  too,  was  on  trial,  but  not  in 
paradise.  He  came  to  a  ruined  world,  and  in  his 
infinite  stoop  to  reach  fallen  man,  he  "  took  not  on 
him  the  nature  of  angels,"  but  came  down  still  lower, 
saying,  "A  body  hast  thou  prepared  me,"  being  "made 
like  unto  his  brethren" — a  dying,  mortal  being; 
humanity  and  divinity  being  so  blended  that  he  was 
"God  manifest  in  the  flesh,"  or,  "Immanuel,  God 
with  us;"  not  as  a  dual  being,  but  as  a  unit,  composed 
of  two  natures  through  a  miracle;  thus  rendering  it 
possible  for  him  to  die  for  the  race,  to  secure  their 
exemption  from  penal  death,  and  their  redemption 
from  the  temporal,  or  calamity  death.     So  he 

"  Entered  the  grave  in  mortal  flesh, 
And  dwelt  among  the  dead." 


244  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

He  triumphed  in  his  trial,  and  finally  triumphed 
over  dark  death;  being  quickened  "after  the  power 
of  an  endless  life/'  at  his  resurrection, 

2.  His  Destiny.  The  last  Adam  was  born  a  pros- 
pective King;  and  at  his  birth  wise  men  came  from 
the  east,  inquiring,  "Where  is  he  that  is  born  king  of 
the  Jews?"  Matt.  2:1,  2.  He  was  divinely  "ap- 
pointed heir  of  all  things;"  and  the  Father  said  to 
him  in  this  appointment,  "Thy  throne,  0  God,  is 
for  ever  and  ever;  a  scepter  of  righteousness  is  the 
scepter  of  thy  kingdom"  (Heb.  1:2,  8).  Gabriel 
said,  "The  Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the  throne 
of  his  father  David,  and  he  shall  reign  over  the  house 
of  Jacob  for  ever,  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be 
no  end."  Luke  1:  32,  33.  At  his  return  from  heaven 
he  is  to  say:  "Those  mine  enemies,  that  would  not 
that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  hither  and  slay 
them  before  me."  Luke  19:  27.  He,  therefore,  has  a 
threefold  claim  on  the  kingdom;  first,  by  birth; 
secondly,  by  divine  promise;  thirdly,  by  majestic 
conquest.  At  first  the  friends  of  Jesus  thought  that 
his  kingdom  would  begin  at  the  first  Advent;  but 
his  foes  ridiculed  his  claim  to  kingship,  and  in  derision 
crowned  him  with  a  crown  of  thorns,  and  nailed  him 
to  the  cross,  where  he  died,  to  the  dismay  of  his  dis- 
ciples who  had  looked  for  him  to  reign. 

But  on  the  third  day  he  emerged  from  the  gloom 
of  death,  and  he  "dieth  no  more:  death  hath  no 
more  dominion  over  him"  (Rom.  6:9).  Then  for 
forty  days  he  discoursed  with  them  about  the  com- 
ing kingdom;  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  they  began 
to  get  impatient  to  have  the  kingdom  begin,  and 
came  to   him   with   the   earnest   query,    "Lord,   wilt 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  245 

thou  at  this  time,  restore  again  the  kingdom  to 
Israel?"  The  coming  kingdom  was  the  last  thing 
the  eleven  talked  to  Jesus  about  before  his  ascension, 
and  also  the  last  thing  he  talked  to  them  about,  be- 
fore his  departure  from  earth,  saying  to  them,  "It 
is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons  wliich 
the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power;"  and  while 
uttering  these  sacred  words,  he  went  up  from  their 
midst  into  heaven,  with  his  hands  lifted  up  in  parting 
benediction;  the  Father  having  said  to  him,  "Sit 
thou  at  my  right  hand  until  I  make  thine  enemies 
thy  footstool."  And  he  is  there  still,  "From  hence- 
forth expecting  till  his  enemies  be  made  his  foot- 
stool" (Heb.  10:  13);  then  he  wiU  return  from  heaven 
as  "King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,"  defeating  his 
foes  (Rev.  19:  11-16).  "Then  shall  the  King  say 
unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of 
my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  v/orld"  (Matt.  25:34). 

As  the  Second  Adam  he  is  now  waiting  for  his 
kingdom,  and  while  thus  waiting  he  is  officiating  as 
our  Highpriest,  j\Iediator,  and  Advocate.  The  first 
Adam  stood  at  the  head  of  a  dying  race.  The  last 
Adam  will  stand  at  the  head  of  a  deathless  class — 
a  redeemed  multitude  rendered  immortal;  "and  as 
we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy"  Adam,  "we 
shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly"  or  immor- 
talized Adam.  Paradise  restored  will  again  bloom 
on  earth — not  as  a  trial  paradise,  for  the  last  Adam 
has  already  passed  through  his  trial;  but  paradise 
restored  shall  be  advanced  into  the  perfect  state, — • 
its  occupants  all  being  then  "equal  to  the  angels," 
and  not  like  the  first  man,  "a  little  lower  than  the 


246  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

angels."  This  will  be  paradise  advanced  and  per- 
fected, under  an  immortal  King. 

3.  His  Judgeship.  But  prior  to  his  reign  he  must 
officiate  as  Judge,  having  been  "appointed"  to  offi- 
ciate in  that  capacity.  For  the  sacred  record  reads, 
in  speaking  of  the  resurrected  and  ascended  Jesus, 
"And  he  commanded  us  to  preach  unto  the  people, 
and  to  testify  that  it  is  he  which  was  ordained  of 
God  to  be  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead  "  (Acts  10:  42) ; 
and  while  Peter  makes  this  statement  Paul  confirms 
it  in  saying,  "God  now  commandeth  all  men  every- 
where to  repent:  because  he  hath  appointed  a  day, 
in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness 
by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained;  whereof  he 
hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath 
raised  him  from  the  dead"  (Acts  17:30,  31).  Here 
we  are  twice  told  that  the  Judge  to  officiate  has  al- 
ready been  "ordained"  of  God:  that  Judge  being  the 
resurrected  Jesus;  and  we  are  also  told  that  the  day 
for  him  to  officiate  has  been  "appointed;"  and  again 
Paul  says:  "Judge  nothing  before  the  time,  until  the 
Lord  come:"  and  surely  he  will  not  disregard  this 
divinely-specified  time  himself — he  will  not  nullify 
his  own  arrangement  by  judging  men  previously. 
Hence,  the  current  notion  of  a  judgment  of  disem- 
bodied men  at  the  epoch  of  death,  preparatory  to 
entering  a  paradise  of  disembodied  spirits,  is  both 
un-scriptural   and   anti-scriptural. 

The  first  Adam's  trial  paradise  preceded  judgment; 
but  the  Second  Adam's  paradise  comes  after  judg- 
ment, and  after  by  our  trial  we  have  overcome:  "To 
him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree 
of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God  " 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  247 

(Rev.  2:7);  and  the  same  tree  of  life,  here  connected 
with  the  future  paradise,  is  also  coupled  with  the 
river  of  water  of  life  on  the  new  earth:  "On  either 
side  of  the  river,"  there  flowing,  "was  there  the  tree 
of  life"  (Rev.  22:2).  The  last  Adam,  already  im- 
mortal, will  never  fall,  nor  will  his  immortalized 
friends.  That  will  be  a  state  of  deathlcssness  and 
perfection  combined. 

Coupled  therewith  will  be  the  city  of  God,  called 
the  new  Jerusalem,  which  is  now  above,  and  is  des- 
tined to  "come  down  from  God  out  of  heaven;"  and 
it  is  written:  "Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  com- 
mandments (or,  wash  their  robes,  R.  V.),  that  they 
may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in 
through  the  gates  into  the  city"    (Rev.   22:  14). 

From  the  foregoing  evidence  we  discover: 

1st.  That  the  paradise  of  God  is  to  contain  the 
tree  of  life. 

2nd.     That  the  tree  of  life  is  to  be  in  the  new  earth. 

3rd.  That  it  is  to  be  in  the  Celestial  City,  the  new 
Jerusalem,  to  be  imported  from  heaven,  as  the  capital 
of  the  world  to  come. 

Possibly,  that  one  feature  of  paradise,  the  tree  of 
life,  was  taken  to  heaven  by  a  miracle,  to  be  pre- 
served till  the  restitution,  and  is  already  in  the  city 
awaiting  its  importation;  and  that  when  Paul  (or 
some  other  man)  was  "caught  up  into  paradise," 
or  the  "third  heaven,"  it  was  to  this  exiled  paradise, 
or  to  that  part  of  paradise  now  in  blissful  exile  (2  Cor. 
12:2). 

"Thou  exiled  Paradise, 
Oh,  how  we  long  for  thee  I" 

"Whether  in  the  body" — that  is,  whether  physic- 


248  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

ally  transported — or,  ''whether  out  of  the  body" — 
that  is,  whether  mentally  transported — Paul  could 
not  tell;  but  he  certainly  could  tell  that  he  was  not 
physically  transported  hundreds  of  years  into  the 
future,  to  the  new  earth:  for  he  well  knew  that  to  be 
an  impossibility,  for  any  man.  He  was  transported 
to  the  third  heaven  either  mentally  or  physically, 
he  could  not  tell  which;  but  not  having  his  spirit 
leave  the  body,  since  "the  body  without  the  spirit 
is  dead"  (James  2:  26);  and  Paul  certainly  knew  that 
he  had  not  been  dead  and  resurrected  again:  so  the 
text  teaches  nothing  about  the  state  of  the  spirit 
after  death;  the  narrative  is  all  about  a  man  while  alive, 
and  not  after  death. 

That  new  Jerusalem  paradise  is  not  due  till  after 
the  resurrection  and  judgment;  and  then  it  will  "come 
down"  to  the  restored  earth,  as  "the  tabernacle  of 
God,"  which  is  to  "be  with  men;"  including  in  it 
"the  paradise  of  God,"  with  the  tree  of  life  in  the 
midst  thereof;    under  the  last  Adam's  supervision. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

CHRIST. 


The  Christ  of  God. — When  Jesus  inquired  of  his 
disciples,  "Whom  say  the  people  that  I  am?"  the  re- 
ply was  given,  "John  the  Baptist;  but  some  say  Elias; 
and  others  say,  that  one  of  the  prophets  is  risen  again." 
Then  Jesus  inquired,  "But  whom  say  ye  that  I  am?" 
Peter  made  answer,  "The  Christ  of  God."  The 
Christ  of  theology  is  not  in  all  respects  the  "Christ  of 
God."  Theologians  assign  to  him  a  literal  birth,  a 
literal  death,  a  literal  resurrection,  and  a  literal  ascen- 
sion to  heaven,  but  often  deny  his  literal  return,  and 
literal  reign  upon  earth  hereafter.  But  "the  Christ 
of  God"  is  the  "Anointed  of  God" — anointed  to  be 
a  King — to  "reign  upon  the  throne  of  his  father 
David;"  but  not  till  the  seventh  trumpet  sounds  shall 
"the  kingdoms  of  this  world  become  the  kingdom  of 
our  Lord  and  his  Christ;"  so  his  reign  is  yet  future: 
but  "when  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory, 
and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon 
the  throne  of  his  glory."  Till  then  he  will  officiate  as 
our  High  Priest  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

The  "Christ  of  God"  is  a  'prospective  King,  destined 
to  reign  on  earth  over  resurrected  people,  instead  of 
being  a  present  King  in  heaven,  reigning  over  the 
shades  of  the  dead.     He  said  to  his  disciples  just  before 

249 


250  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

his  crucifixion:  "I  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom,  as  my 
Father  hath  appointed  unto  me,  that  ye  may  eat  and 
drink  at  my  table,  in  my  kingdom.  [And  he  will  keep 
that  appointment,  and  at  his  return  from  heaven  he 
will  make  a  separation  between  the  just  and  the  unjust.] 
Then  shall  the  King  say  to  them  on  his  right  hand, 
Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom 
prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world," 
which  Gabriel  says  shall  be  "under  the  whole  heaven." 
When  the  restitution  comes,  the  Christ  of  God  shall 
"reign  over  all  the  earth"  as  "the  King  of  glory." 

To  literalize  the  Christ  of  prophecy  in  his  entire 
history  from  his  birth  in  the  manger  to  his  ascension 
into  glory,  and  then  attempt  to  spiritualize  his  coming 
and  kingdom,  as  some  do,  is  to  do  violence  to  the 
rules  of  interpretation.  He  "shall  judge  the  quick 
and  the  dead  at  his  appearing  and  his  kingdom." 
Will  he  literally  judge  them?  Then  he  will  literally 
appear  to  do  this  work,  and  his  kingdom  then  due  will 
also  be  literal.  It  will  be  peopled  with  a  class  who 
were  once  "dead,"  and  only  literal  people  can  die — 
ghosts  never  die,  do  they? — and  that  class  remain  un- 
judged  till  he  appears  to  judge  them,  together  with 
those  then  found  living:  and  certainly  the  living  ones 
then  to  be  judged  will  be  literal;  so  the  kingdom,  to 
contain  these  literal  ones,  must  be  a  literal  kingdom. 

To  endorse  Christ  in  his  ministrj^  in  his  crucifixion, 
in  his  resurrection,  in  his  ascension,  in  his  intercession, 
is  all  well  so  far  as  it  goes;  but  this  does  not  go  far 
enough;  let  us  endorse  him  in  his  return  to  judge  the 
race,  and  to  reign  on  earth  when  redeemed  from  the 
curse.  Till  he  comes,  the  slumbering  saints  will  sleep 
on.     Till  he  comes  they  will  remain  unjudged.     Till  he 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  251 

comes  death  will  reign,  and  saints  will  continue  to 
fall  into  his  hands.  But  when  he  comes  he  will  verify 
the  promise  made  to  the  believer,  "I  will  raise  him  up 
at  the  last  day,"  and  then  the  deathless  era  will  dawn — 
a  deathless  King  shall  eternally  sway  his  sceptre  over 
a  multitude  of  deathless  subjects  too  numerous  to  be 
counted, 

"  King  of  glory,   reign  forever, 
Thine  an  everlasting  crowTi." 

When  the  "Christ  of  God"  shall  make  his  second 
visit  to  our  world,  it  will  be  to  obliterate  sin,  and  take 
the  reins  of  government  into  his  own  hands  forever. 
Then  comes  the  age  of  immortality,  and  the  end  of 
death's  domain  over  the  saints. 

King  of  the  Jews. — At  the  birth  of  Jesus  wise 
men  came  from  the  east,  inquiring,  "Where  is  he  that 
is  born  King  of  the  Jews?"  Not  born  an  actual 
King  then  reigning,  but  born  as  a  destined  King,  was 
the  thought  in  their  minds.  And  Herod  so  under- 
stood them;  nor  did  he  imagine  that  they  meant  a 
King  over  disembodied  Jews  in  some  remote  realm; 
for  first  he  knew  that  he  would  not  need  to  be  born  in 
order  to  such  a  Kingship,  since  a  King  without  a  body 
would  be  better  adapted  to  reign  over  bodiless  sub- 
jects ;  and  secondly,  if  he  were  to  reign  in  some  foreign 
world  it  would  not  have  troubled  him,  as  he  had  no 
territory  there,  and  did  not  expect  to  reign  over  spirit 
men  in  any  realm;  but  knowing  that  they  were  talking 
about  the  birth  of  a  prospective  King  to  reign  on  earth, 
he  thought  it  might  interfere  with  his  reign,  and  conse- 
quently it  greatly  troubled  him,  and  he  began  to 
devise  means  whereby  he  might  ward  off  the  danger; 
and  to  begin  with,  "When  he  had  gathered  all  the 


252  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

chief  priests  and  scribes  of  the  people  together,  he  de- 
manded of  them  where  Christ  [the  anointed  One] 
should  be  born?"  Then  he  sent  executioners  to  de- 
stroy this  contemplated  King,  If  Herod  had  supposed 
that  Jesus  was  to  be  born  King  beyond  the  skies,  and 
was  simply  to  reign  over  disembodied  Jews  there,  he 
never  would  have  called  that  council  of  priests,  nor 
have  sought  the  young  child's  life.  But  he  knew 
that  the  Messiah  was  expected  to  reign  on  earth,  and 
thinking  that  he  would  assume  kingship  in  close  con- 
nection with  his  manifestation  among  men,  he  thought 
to  nip  the  arrangement  in  the  bud  by  killing  him 
before  he  began  to  reign.     Matt,  2:  2,  16. 

While  Jesus  hung  upon  the  cross,  the  inscription, 
"King  of  the  Jews "  could  be  read  over  his  sacred  head 
in  three  different  languages.  This  was  the  leading 
charge  made  against  him — seeking  to  make  himself  a 
King — saying,  "We  found  this  fellow  perverting  the 
nation,  and  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to  Csesar,  saying 
that  he  himself  is  Christ  a  King,"  Luke  23:  2,  The 
only  foundation  for  this  charge  of  forbidding  to  pay 
tribute  to  Csesar,  is  founded  upon  the  following  con- 
versation between  Peter  and  Jesus:  "What  thinkest 
thou,  Simon?  Of  whom  do  the  kings  of  the  earth 
take  custom  or  tribute?  Of  their  own  children,  or  of 
strangers?  Peter  saith  unto  him,  Of  strangers,  Jesus 
saith  unto  him,  Then  are  the  children  free,"  But  to 
prevent  "offence"  he  wrought  a  miracle  to  furnish 
the  tribute  money,  Jesus'  reply  was  tantamount  to 
an  affirmation  that  they  were  not  strangers,  but 
really  the  children  of  the  kingdom  in  consideration  of 
their  heirship. 

Now  if  these  enemies  of  Jesus  had  supposed  that 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  253 

Jesus  was  only  aspiring  to  be  King  of  disembodied 
Jews  beyond  the  clouds,  they  would  never  have  ar- 
raigned him.  They  understood  that  he  contemplated 
real  Kingship,  If  his  friends  had  believed  that  he  was 
expecting  to  be  King  beyond  the  etherial  blue,  they 
would  never  have  arranged  to  "  come  and  take  him  by 
force  to  make  him  a  King."  John  6 :  15.  They 
thought  only  of  his  reign  upon  earth.  And  he  never 
rectified  that  impression,  but  plainly  intimated  that 
he  must  first  go  "into  the  far  country  to  receive  for 
himself  the  kingdom"  [or  the  right  to  reign]  and  then 
"return"  before  the  overthrow  of  his  foes.  At  his 
return  the  resurrection  takes  place,  for  he  "shall 
judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing  and 
kingdom ; "  so  his  kingdom  is  not  due  till  the  resurrection 
and  judgment  shall  come;  then  only  those  Jews 
judged  worthy  of  the  kingdom  will  enter,  and  all  the 
worthy  ones  will  then  be  immortalized,  together  with 
the  ingrafted  Gentiles;  so  he  will  not  reign  over  the 
mortal  Jews,  but  over  the  immortal  ones,  and  likewise 
"reign  over  the  Gentiles"  who  shall  then  put  on  im- 
mortality. This  will  be  a  Je\\dsh  kingdom,  under  the 
supervision  of  a  Jewdsh  King  on  the  immortal  prin- 
ciple, the  prospective  King  having  already  been  im- 
mortalized. In  other  words  he  will  not  be  a  mortal 
"King  of  the  Jews,"  nor  reign  over  mortal  Jews;  but 
he  will  be  immortal  "King  of  the  Jews,"  reigning  over 
immortal  Jews. 

The  time  of  his  kingdom  is  subsequent  to  the  age  of 
mortality,  and  after  the  judgment,  thus  excluding  both 
carnality  and  mortality.  It  will  be  an  "everlasting 
kingdom,"  having  an  everlasting  King  and  everlasting 
subjects.     He  who  was  crowned  in  mockery  at  his 


254  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

first  advent,  will  be  crowned  in  glory  at  his  second 
advent,  and  "of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end." 
Then  saints,  and  not  sinners  can  say,  "Hail,  King  of 
the  Jews. " 

Only  Begotten  Son. — It  is  sometimes  said  that 
Christ  had  no  pre-existence  except  in  the  purpose  of 
Deity,  or  as  the  "Word,"  till  born  of  Mary.  John 
tells  us :  "  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world, 
that  we  might  live  through  him."  1  John  4:  9. 
Again:  "And  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt 
among  us  (and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the 
only  begotten  of  the  Father),  full  of  grace  and  truth." 
John  1:  14.  Let  it  be  observed  that  the  "Word" 
here  spoken  of  is  not  only  called  the  Son  of  God,  but 
his  "only  begotten  Son;"  so  if  this  Word  was  not  a 
personality  with  God,  but  merely  an  ordinary  word 
or  purpose,  then  it  is  the  "only"  word  God  ever  ut- 
tered or  ever  will  utter,  or  the  "only"  purpose.  This 
will  not  do;  he  is  "the  only  begotten"  personal  Word 
or  Son. 

1.  Christ  is  still  called  the  "Word  of  God."  Rev. 
19:  13.  If  because  he  was  primarily  called  "the 
Word,"  it  meant  that  he  had  no  existence  except  in 
purpose;  then  because  he  is  still  called  "the  Word," 
it  as  really  follows  that  he  has  now  no  other  existence, 
and  is  not  a  personality  now. 

2.  But  that  is  his  name:  "His  name  is  called  the 
Word  of  God;"  and  if  it  is  his  name  now,  as  a  per- 
sonality, why  not  then? 

3.  Not  only  did  he  have  an  existence,  bearing  the 
name  "The  Word,"  but  he  was  alive:  "In  him  was 
life."  John  1:  4.  An  ordinary  word  or  purpose  has 
no  life,  but  a  person  has. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  255 

Even  the  kosmos  on  which  we  live  was  made  by  this 
Word  (John  1:  10),  and  he  was  also  the  maker  of  the 
ages  (Heb.  1:  2),  and  therefore  must  have  preceded 
earth  and  its  ages  as  an  active  personality.  God 
created  the  world  by  him  in  the  past,  just  as  he  will 
judge  men  by  him  hereafter. 

Seeing  the  Father. — Said  Jesus,  "He  that  hath 
seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father."  John  14:  9.  This 
passage  is  frequently  quoted  to  prove  that  Jesus  was 
his  own  Father,  and  God  was  his  ow-n  Son,  by  insisting 
that  Jesus  meant  that  whoever  had  literally  seen  him 
had  literally  seen  the  veritable  Father.  But  this 
claim  proves  too  much,  and  hence  proves  nothing  in 
the  line  intended;  for  the  only  thing  proven  from  the 
assumed  premises  is  that  the  Father  is  a  being  of  mortal 
flesh  instead  of  the  "invisible  God;"  for  the  only  part 
of  Jesus  seen  by  his  disciples  was  his  fleshly  body,  so 
far  as  literal  sight  is  concerned.  If  there  was  really 
inside  of  Jesus  another  invisible  personalitj',  they 
never  saw  that;  they  saw  only  the  body,  the  mortal 
body,  the  very  body  that  subsequently  died ;  and  if  to 
literally  see  that  was  to  literally  see  the  Father,  then 
the  Father  is  thus  shown  to  be  a  fleshly  being  that 
could  and  did  die;  and  this  proves  too  much,  and 
thus  shows  a  defective  premise  in  the  argument. 

Then  what  did  Jesus  mean?  It  would  be  far  more 
reasonable  to  conclude  that  as  Jesus  was  "the  express 
image  of  his  person"  (Heb.  1:  3),  he  could  mean  in 
point  of  resemblance, — "He  that  hath  seen  me  hath 
seen  the  Father."  But  the  context  does  not  demand 
even  this  construction,  but  simply  the  sense  of  God- 
likeness,  or  assimilation  to  the  Father,  to  be  seen  in 
his  life  of  divinity;  for  he  immediately  adds  the  follow- 


256  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

ing  explanatory  remarks:  "And  how  sayest  thou, 
then,  show  us  the  Father?  Belie  vest  thou  not  that 
I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me?  The  words 
that  I  speak  unto  you,  I  speak  not  of  myself:  but  the 
Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  he  doeth  the  works.  Be- 
lieve me  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in 
me,  or  else  believe  me  for  the  very  works'  sake."  They 
could  see  divinity  in  his  words,  in  his  works,  and  in 
his  character;  but  they  could  not  look  through  the 
flesh  as  a  transparent  covering,  and  behold  a  personal 
Father  within. 

Though  Jesus  was  ''God  manifest  in  the  flesh," 
they  could  literally  see  only  the  flesh;  but  they 
dould  see  the  assimilation  to  the  Father.  In  this 
way  could  they  see  the  Father  in  seeing  Jesus — 
*'God  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself." 
How  in  Christ?  Just  as  Christ  is  in  his  saints:  "Abide 
in  me,  and  /  in  you."  Christ  in  God,  and  God  in 
Christ.  The  saint  in  Chi'ist,  and  Christ  in  the  saint. 
And  to-day  the  world  can  see  Christ  in  the  saint, 
just  as  the  disciples  could  see  the  Father  in  seeing 
Christ — divinity  exhibited  through  humanity  in  its 
assimilation  to  the  Deific  character. 

COME   IN   THE    FLESH. 

Question. — Will  you  please  explain  1  John  4:2,  3. 
Some  people  claim  that  the  word  is,  preceding  the 
word  come,  makes  it  refer  to  the  future  and  should 
be  rendered  coming  instead  of  come;  that  if  it  is 
in  the  past  tense  the  word  has  should  have  been  used 
in  the  place  of  is. 

Reply. — The  text  reads:  "Every  spirit  that  con- 
fesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  of 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  257 

God:  and  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of  God."  Dr.  Mac- 
knight  renders  it  "hath  come,"  instead  of  "is  come;" 
so  does  Prof.  Whiting.  The  original  would  hardly 
stand  the  strain  necessary  to  make  it  read  "coming." 
Of  course  the  confession  named,  is  not  a  mere  nominal 
confession,  of  the  surface  type,  but  the  hearty,  gen- 
uine article  that  is  inseparably  coupled  with  obedi- 
ence. That  spirit  is  always  of  God,  but  the  opposite 
is  not  of  God.  A  mere  verbal  admission  that  Christ 
has  come  in  the  flesh  does  not  cover  the  ground. 

Jesus'  Sonship. — Too  many,  while  professing  to 
revere  Jesus,  really  demean  him,  though  not  always 
so  outspoken  as  the  Progressive  Thinker,  when  it 
avers  that  Jesus  was  "a  son  of  God,  as  all  of  us  are 
sons  of  God,  no  more,  no  less."  But  Jesus  is  Divinely 
pronounced  "the  only  begotten  Son  of  God."  God 
has  no  other  sons  of  this  particular  order.  He  is 
just  what  he  proclaims  himself  to  be,  if  he  is  worthy 
of  credence.  In  a  moral  sense,  God  has  many  sons 
among  men;  but  in  a  higher  sense  Jesus  was  his 
"only"  Son:  so  we  are  not  sons  of  God  in  the  same 
sense  that  Jesus  was.  The  Progressive  theory,  un- 
masked, is  but  the  digressive  substitute  for  truth. 

Christ's  Good  Confession. — The  apostle  Paul  gives 
our  Saviour  the  credit  of  having  made  a  good  con- 
fession; not  a  confession  of  wrong,  but  of  right — a 
right  to  come  and  reign  on  earth.  The  record  reads: 
"I  give  thee  charge  in  the  sight  of  God,  who  quick- 
eneth  all  things,  and  before  Jesus  Christ,  who  before 
Pontius  Pilate  witnessed  a  good  confession;  that 
thou  keep  this  commandment  without  spot,  unrebuka- 
ble,  until  the  appearing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ: 


258  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

which  in  his  times  he  shall  show,  who  is  the  blessed 
and  only  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of 
lords;  who  only  hath  immortality,  dwelling  in  the 
light  which  no  man  can  approach  unto."  1  Tim. 
6:13-16. 

This  "good  confession"  was  made  by  Jesus  while 
on  trial  before  Pontius  Pilate,  so  it  will  be  an  easy 
matter  to  find  out  its  nature.  That  trial  before  this 
Roman  governor  had  been  preceded  by  one  before 
the  high  priest,  and  both  had  been  inaugurated  by 
the  allegation  that  he  contemplated  assuming  king- 
ship. After  the  church  trial  before  the  high  priest 
was  over,  where  he  was  accused  of  blasphemy  for 
affirming,  "Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  man 
sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in 
the  clouds  of  heaven,"  the  exasperated  opposers 
proposed  a  civil  trial;  so  "the  whole  multitude  of 
them  arose,  and  led  him  unto  Pilate.  And  they  began 
to  accuse  him,  saying,  We  found  this  fellow  perverting 
the  nation,  and  forbidding  to  give  tribute  unto  Caesar, 
saying,  that  he  himself  is  Christ,  a  king"  (Luke  23:  2), 
critically  rendered,  "That  he  himself  is  the  anointed, 
a  King  to  be."  So  Pilate  said  to  him,  "Art  thou  a 
king  then?  Jesus  answered.  Thou  sayest  that  I  am 
a  king.  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause 
came  I  into  the  world,  that  I  should  bear  witness 
unto  the  truth"  (John  18:37),  or  this  truth. 

Here  Jesus  makes  the  frank  confession  that  he 
was  born  to  be  a  King,  coupled  with  the  additional 
statement:  "My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world  [not 
of  the  carnal  age  and  type]:  if  my  kingdom  were  of 
this  world,  then  would  my  servants  fight,  that  I  should 
not  be  delivered  to  the  Jews:  but  now  is  my  kingdom 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  259 

not  from  hence" — not  from  this  time  forth.  And 
this  is  the  only  confession  Jesus  ever  made  before 
Pilate — a  confession  that  he  was  a  prospective  King, 
though  his  kingdom  was  not  to  begin  then,  and  con- 
tinue thenceforth,  was  not  to  belong  to  this  age  of 
carnality.  And  to  Caiaphas  he  more  than  hinted 
that  he  must  leave  this  world,  and  return  again,  before 
being  "seated  on  the  right  hand  of  power." 

This  confession  of  future  Kingship  was  a  "good 
confession;"  and  his  claim  is  a  valid  one — being  en- 
titled to  the  Davidic  throne  and  crown;  first  by  birth, 
as  he  was  the  last  heir,  leaving  no  posterity  (Herod 
and  his  sons  not  being  in  the  regular  line);  secondly, 
his  claim  being  confirmed  by  divine  promise:  "The 
Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father 
David;"  and  thirdly,  he  will  demonstrate  the  validity 
of  his  claim  by  conquest,  capturing  the  beast  and 
the  false  prophet  alive,  and  casting  them  into  the 
lake  of  fire,  together  with  all  whose  names  are  not 
written  in  the  book  of  life;  and  thus  he  will  show 
who  is  the  blessed  and  only  Potentate  entitled  to 
kingship  on  the  earth.  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of 
lords,  who  only,  among  them  all,  hath  immortality, 
and  is  now  dwelling  in  the  light  which  is  inaccessible 
to  mortals,  in  which  condition  no  man  has  seen  him 
or  can  see  him;  but  "in  his  times,"  or  in  the  "times 
of  restitution,"  he  will  manifest  himself  to  the  joy 
of  his  friends,  and  to  the  confusion  of  his  foes,  as  the 
King  of  glory,  in  glorious  verification  of  his  "good 
confession."  He  is  now  in  the  far  country,  offering 
an  armistice  to  his  enemies;  but  at  its  close  he  will 
return  with  conquering  power,  and  begin  his  reign. 


260  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

Faith  that  simply  recognizes  the  fact  of  the  ex- 
istence of  a  divine  personage  called  Jesus  Christ,  does 
not  comprehend  enough.  True  faith  accepts  him  to 
the  full  extent  of  his  claim — for  just  what  he  pur- 
ports to  be — for  if  his  claim  is  not  correct  in  full, 
it  may  not  be  correct  even  in  part.  He  is  either  what 
he  assumes  to  be,  or  his  claim  is  unreliable.  His 
immediate  friends  claimed  for  him  an  origin,  a  mission, 
a  character,  and  a  power  superhuman  in  its  nature, 
and  we  are  not  prepared  to  abridge  their  record.  Full 
faith  in  Christ  involves  much  more  than  current 
faith  recognizes,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  propositions 
appended. 

1.  Full  faith  in  Christ  not  only  recognizes  him  as 
a  Saviour  of  sinners  from  sin  on  stipulated  terms, 
but  also  as  a  Saviour  of  mortal  saints  from  mortality. 

While  Jesus  affirmed:  "I  came  down  from  heaven," 
and  "I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners 
to  repentance,"  he  also  asserted:  "1  am  come  that 
ye  might  have  life;"  and  then,  addressing  sinners, 
made  the  sad  announcement:  "Ye  will  not  come 
unto  me  that  ye  might  have  life."  What  life  did  he 
offer  to  the  race?  Some  affirm  that  it  was  only  spir- 
itual life,  or  a  life  of  faith.  But  Jesus  knew  just 
what  kind  of  life  he  came  to  offer,  and  he  plainly 
tells  us  in  these  words:  "And  this  is  the  will  of  him 
that  sent  me,  that  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son, 
and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life:  and 
I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  John  6:40. 
What  kind  of  life?  "Everlasting  life."  When  to  be 
bestowed?     Jesus  answers:    "I  will  raise  him  up  at 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  261 

the  last  day;"  then  begins  another  life  of  an  "ever- 
lasting" duration;  and  Gabriel  corroborates  this  view 
when  alluding  to  the  many  now  sleeping  in  the  dust 
of  the  earth,  who  shall  hereafter  awake,  "some  to 
everlasting  life."  So  the  class  to  whom  this  life  is 
to  be  given  is  a  class  of  mortals  that  can  sleep  in  the 
dust  of  the  earth;  and  the  time  when  it  shall  be  given 
is  when  they  "shall  awake."  It  is  then  that  "this 
mortal  shall  put  on  immortality."  Wonderful  salva- 
tion, that  shall  change  our  body,  and  fashion  it  like 
Christ's  glorious  body!  Said  Jesus:  "I  am  the  res- 
urrection and  the  life."  Resurrecting  power  is  in- 
vested in  him,  and  he  is  the  Life-giver:  "I  give  unto 
them  eternal  life."  When,  Master?  "In  the  world 
to  come  eternal  life." 

2.  Full  faith  in  Christ  not  only  recognizes  him 
as  the  predicted  Messiah  in  point  of  name,  but  also 
in  reality.  When  the  Samaritan  woman  said  to  Jesus, 
"When  the  Messiah  cometh,  he  shall  tell  us  all  things," 
Jesus  replied:  "I  that  speak  unto  thee  am  he."  If 
his  claim  was  right,  we  must  accept  the  result  of  the 
claim,  be  that  what  it  may,  or  else  we  have  not  full 
faith  in  him  as  the  ]\Iessiah  of  prophecy.  The  angel, 
in  telling  Daniel  that  the  Messiah  should  appear  among 
men,  was  very  careful  to  inform  him  that  he  should 
be  "Messiah  the  prince" — that  is,  an  heir  to  a  throne; 
a  prospective  King,  or  destined  Ruler;  but  did  not 
then  inform  him  what  particular  throne  he  should  be 
heir  to;  but  long  years  afterward  he  visited  earth 
again  to  talk  about  the  same  Messiah,  and  said  to 
Mary:  "Thou  shalt  .  .  .  call  his  name  Jesus.  He 
shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  the 
Highest;   and  the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the 


262  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

throne  of  his  father  David;  and  he  shall  reign  over 
the  house  of  Jacob  forever;  and  of  his  kingdom  there 
shall  be  no  end."     Luke  1:31,  32. 

Here  the  same  angel  who  told  Daniel  that  the 
Messiah  should  be  a  "prince,"  or  an  heir  to  a  throne, 
but  omitted  to  state  what  throne  he  should  be  heir  to, 
now  definitely  tells  Mary  that  it  should  be  the  "throne 
of  his  father  David."  It  was  not  ready  for  him  at 
his  first  advent.  It  received  its  last  overturn  about 
forty  years  after  he  went  to  heaven  "to  receive  for 
himself  the  kingdom,"  in  the  sense  of  having  the  right 
to  reign  officially  conferred  upon  him;  and  now  that 
throne  "shall  be  no  more  till  he  come  whose  right  it 
is;"  and,  says  Jehovah,  "I  will  give  it  him."  And 
God  will  keep  his  promise,  and  the  Messiah  of  prophecy 
shall  yet  "reign  in  Mount  Zion  and  in  Jerusalem, 
and  before  his  ancients  gloriously,"  as  the  "King  of 
glory" — "the  King  in  his  beauty" — the  "King  of 
kings,"  as  David's  great  Heir,  on  David's  throne; 
not  as  a  mortal  king  over  mortal  subjects,  but  as  an 
immortal  King  over  the  immortalized  "house  of 
Jacob;"  for  Jesus,  "the  King  of  the  Jews,"  shall 
fashion  the  bodies  of  his  saints  like  his  own  glorious 
body. 

Since  "they  are  not  all  Israel  who  are  of  Israel," 
and  since  "he  is  not  a  Jew  who  is  one  outwardly, 
but  he  is  a  Jew  who  is  one  inwardly,"  this  Davidic 
kingdom  wiU  not  be  composed  of  carnal  Israelitish 
subjects,  but  wiU  include  only  those  Israelites  who 
are  "Israelites  indeed,  in  whom  there  is  no  guile," 
and  such  will  be  invested  with  immortality  when 
Jesus  comes,  as  well  as  the  ingrafted  Gentiles;  so 
he  will  "reign  over  the   house  of  Jacob,"   and  also 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  263 

"reign  over  the  Gentiles;"  but  not  over  the  mortal 
or  carnal  ones  of  either  class,  for  he  will  be  "  King  of 
saints,"  and  not  of  sinners;  and  only  "  the  nations  of 
them  that  are  saA^ed  [or  the  saved  of  the  nations] 
shall  walk  in  the  light  of"  the  coming  city,  "and  the 
Lamb  is  the  light  thereof." 

3.  Full  faith  in  Christ  recognizes  him  as  the  des- 
tined Judge  of  the  race — a  Judge  to  officiate,  not  at 
the  hour  of  death,  but  at  his  future  coming. 

The  apostolic  admonition,  "Judge  nothing  before 
the  time,  until  the  Lord  come,"  indicates  that  the 
Lord  has  a  time  for  judging  men,  and  that  this  time 
is  when  he  comes,  agreeing  with  2  Tim.  4:  1,  "Christ 
.  .  .  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  ap- 
pearing." This  testimony  nullifies  the  current  notion 
that  men  receive  their  judgment  when  the  angel  of 
death  deprives  them  of  life,  and  if  they  are  not  judged 
at  this  epoch,  they  certainly  cannot  then  receive 
their  reward,  which  is  the  appropriation  of  the  judg- 
ment decision;  consequently  all  this  talk  about  enter- 
ing glory  before  the  coming  of  the  Lord  is  but  wild 
speculation.  The  divine  Judge  must  render  his  de- 
cision before  a  passport  to  glory  can  be  obtained, 
nor  will  he  do  that  before  the  divinely  specified  time — 
"at  his  appearing" — for  he  will  not  invalidate  his 
own  arrangement,  or  forestall  his  own  revealed  plan. 

A  faith  in  Christ  that  recognizes  him  as  a  present 
Judge  of  spirit-men,  instead  of  a  future  Judge,  to 
officiate  at  his  coming,  then  judging  resurrected  and 
living  personalities  instead  of  myths,  is  a  faith  radically 
defective.  It  makes  him  a  Judge  at  the  wrong  time, 
in  direct  antagonism  with  his  own  arrangement,  and 
also   makes   him  judge  the   wrong  class — a  class    of 


264  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

disembodied  men.  We  never  read  in  the  Book  of 
Heaven  about  judging  spirit  men,  but  we  do  read 
about  the  judging  of  the  "dead."  And  if  Christ  is 
really  to  judge  the  "dead  "  at  his  appearing,  so  truly 
the  dead  will  remain  un judged  till  then,  and  conse- 
quently unrewarded  till  then.  So  full  faith  in  Christ 
as  a  Judge  of  the  race  in  harmony  with  his  own  plan, 
involves  a  repudiation  of  the  doctrine  of  rewards  this 
side  of  our  Saviour's  return  to  earth;  and  subsequently 
soul  and  body  will  exist  together;  hence,  no  rewards 
in  a  disembodied  state. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

PROPHETIC. — THE    REASON    WHY. 


"If  the  prophetic  numbers  are  ever  to  be  under- 
stood, why  did  not  the  apostles  explain  them?"  This 
question  is  sometimes  propounded  with  an  air  of  tri- 
umph, as  though  it  had  invalidated  all  efforts  to  ex- 
plain this  branch  of  prophecy.  Let  us  see.  If  the 
metallic  image  is  ever  to  be  understood,  why  did  not 
the  apostles  explain  it?  But  they  did  not.  Again; 
if  the  four  beasts  are  ever  to  be  understood,  why  did 
not  the  apostles  explain  them?  But  they  did  not. 
Sometimes  the  government  sends  a  ship  to  sea  with 
sealed  instructions,  not  to  be  opened  till  reaching  cer- 
tain points  of  latitude;  then  the  seal  is  removed,  and 
the  instruction  comprehended.  So  in  the  prophetic 
programme — certain  things  were  sealed  up  till  the 
time  of  the  end;  and  the  church  has  been  carrying 
sealed  instructions  for  centuries  in  the  past ;  but  having 
reached  the  latitude  when  "knowledge  should  be  in- 
creased;" implying  a  gradual  unfolding;  prophetic 
truth  is  coming  more  and  more  to  be  comprehended; 
and  a  few  discordant  notes  concerning  the  details, 
is  no  proof  that  it  ought  to  be  discarded  as  a  worth- 
less and  dangerous  article.  Prophecy,  like  other  fea- 
tures of  truth,  may  be  turned  into  a  speculative  channel 
by  its  mistaken  friends;  but  should  it  therefore  be 
abandoned?  No ;  prophecy  is  God's  light  to  the  church, 
and  must  be  allowed  to  shine. 

2G5 


266  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Important  Things. — Granting  that  prophecy  is  im- 
portant, it  is  useless  to  declaim  against  history  as 
unimportant,  for  how  can  we  decide  about  the  fulfill, 
ment  of  prophecy,  except  by  the  aid  of  history?  And 
history  is  of  no  value  without  chronology,  for  this 
enables  us  to  determine  when  the  things  recorded  oc- 
curred; and  the  worth  of  prophecy  also  depends  very 
largely  upon  chronology,  for  without  it  we  could  not 
tell  whether  the  event  predicted  transpired  before  or 
after  the  record  claimed  as  its  fulfillment.  Chronology 
approximately  correct  will  generally  determine  this; 
but  some  prophecies  that  give  measurements  of  time 
from  specific  events  cannot  be  fully  understood  with- 
out the  light  of  accurate  chronology.  To  start  any 
measurement  with  the  wrong  chronology  is  to  end 
it  at  the  wrong  time.  This  is  the  basis  of  our  past 
mistakes,  making  the  vision  appear  to  lie;  but  it 
will  finally  speak,  and  not  lie. 

The  End  Approaching. — Jesus  said,  "This  gospel 
of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world, 
for  a  witness  to  all  nations;  and  then  shall  the  end 
come."  We  have  frequently  presented  testimony  from 
various  authentic  Protestant  witnesses,  showing  that 
to  a  limited  extent  the  gospel  has  already  become  a 
witness  to  all  nations;  in  the  spread  of  Bibles  in  all 
languages,  as  well  as  in  missionary  efforts. 

The  Watching  Time, — The  true  watching  time 
comes  after  the  omens  of  the  Saviour's  return  are 
seen,  and  consequently  we  are  living  in  the  watching 
time  to-day.  But  watching  precludes  an  absolutely 
definite  knowledge  of  the  time  of  the  advent;  for  to 
know  that  Jesus  would  come  on  a  certain  specified 
day,   would  be  to  know  just  as  positively  that  he 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  267 

would  not  come  till  that  day  arrived,  and  it  is  impos- 
sible to  watch  for  what  we  know  will  not  come.  Jesus, 
after  carrying  us  down  past  the  signs  of  his  coming, 
makes  a  statement  which  too  few  have  comprehended 
in  full  in  saying:  "Watch,  therefore,  for  ye  know 
not  what  hour  your  Lord  doth  come.  But  know 
this,  that  if  the  good  man  of  the  house  had  known 
at  what  watch  the  thief  would  come,  he  would  have 
watched,  and  would  not  have  suffered  his  house  to 
be  broken  up.  Therefore  be  ye  also  ready:  for  in 
such  an  hour  as  ye  think  not  the  Son  of  man  cometh." 
Matt.  24:42-44. 

To  know  as  definitely  as  the  "watch"  in  which  the 
event  is  due,  and  not  as  definitely  as  the  hour  in  the 
watch,  would  necessitate  watching  each  hour;  just 
as  a  man  would  do  if  he  knew  the  "watch"  in  which 
the  thief  would  come  to  his  house,  without  knowing 
the  hour  in  the  watch.  Prophetic  measurements  are 
sufficiently  definite  in  their  commencements  and 
terminations  to  give  us  a  clear  clew  to  the  "watch," 
but  not  sufficiently  definite  to  point  out  the  hour  in 
the  watch;    so  we  must  watch  each  hour. 

Or,  to  take  another  illustration,  to  know  as  definitely 
as  the  night  of  the  event,  and  not  as  definitely  as  the 
watch  in  the  night,  necessitates  watching  in  each 
watch  of  the  night,  as  stated  in  Mark  13:  35:  "Watch 
ye  therefore:  for  ye  know  not  when  the  Master  of  the 
house  cometh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  the  cock 
crowing,  or  in  the  morning:  lest  coming  suddenly  he 
find  you  sleeping.  And  what  I  say  unto  you  I  say 
unto  all.  Watch." 

This  watching  is  for  the  Lord,  and  that,  too,  after 
the  precursors  of  his  coming  are  given;  and  what  he 


268  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

says  down  here  to  the  saints,  he  says  also  to  all  men, 
"  Watch  " — let  all  look  out  for  the  event,  and  get  ready 
for  it.  He  could  not  have  meant  that  those  who  lived 
before  Jerusalem  was  destroyed,  and  who  had  been 
told  that  it  should  be  destroyed  before  his  coming, 
must  watch  for  Christ  before  this  destruction  should 
occur,  nor  that  they  should  watch  for  his  coming  before 
other  foretold  events  to  precede  his  coming.  But  as 
we  have  got  past  the  signs  of  his  return,  we  are  in  the 
watching  time;  and  although  we  cannot  tell  the  time 
in  the  watch  with  precise  definiteness,  we  can  under- 
standingly  watch  each  hour. 

THE    TREADING    DOW^N. 

The  treading  down  of  "the  sanctuary  and  the  host," 
mentioned  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  Daniel,  has  a  spec- 
ified beginning  and  ending.  When  was  it  to  begin, 
and  when  was  it  to  end?  Concerning  its  beginning 
some  expositors  are  certainly  mistaken  who  make  it 
commence  with  the  2300  days,  and  continue  to  their 
close.  There  is  not  even  a  hint  given  in  the  prophecy 
that  the  treading  down  was  to  begin  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  2300  days,  but  it  is  distinctly  stated  that 
it  should  begin  with  another  epoch  and  at  another  time. 
Daniel  sees  no  treading  down  of  the  sanctuary  till  he 
beholds  the  rise  of  the  Roman  horn;  then  he  sees  that 
horn  confronting  "the  prince  of  the  host,"  or  standing 
up  "against  the  Prince  of  princes;"  next  he  sees  the 
same  Roman  horn  take  away  "the  daily  sacrifice," 
and  "cast  down"  "the  place  of  his  sanctuary:"  then, 
and  not  till  then,  begins  the  treading  down  of  the 
sanctuary.  "By  him  [by  this  horn]  the  daily  sacrifice 
was  taken  away,  and  the  place  of  his  [the  Messiah's] 
sanctuary  was  cast  down.     And  an  host  [or  army] 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  2G9 

was  given  him  [given  this  horn]  against  the  daily- 
sacrifice  by  reason  of  transgression/'  or  because  the 
Jews  had  transgressed  in  rejecting  Christ.  Dan.  8: 
11,   12. 

At  the  time  Daniel  saw  this  vision  there  was  no 
sacrificial  worship  in  Jerusalem,  nor  sanctuary  either, 
for  Nebuchadnezzar  had  previously  destroyed  their 
sanctuary,  and  had  carried  the  Jews  into  captivity, 
and  they  were  even  then  captives  in  Babylon;  but 
Daniel  in  vision  beheld  a  future  sanctuary,  and  a  future 
sacrificial  worship  in  Jerusalem,  and  finally  beheld 
this  horn  arise  and  take  away  this  (then)  future  "daily 
sacrifice,"  and  "cast  down"  this  (then)  future  sanc- 
tuary. And  this  led  to  the  question:  "How  long  shall 
be  the  vision  [not  concerning  the  ram,  or  the  goat,  or 
the  four  horns,  but]  concerning  the  daily  sacrifice 
[which  he  saw  the  horn  take  away],  and  concerning 
the  transgression  of  desolation  [then  to  overspread 
Jerusalem]  to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and  the  host  to 
be  trodden  under  foot?"  How  long  the  two  things — 
1st.  The  history  of  the  then  future  "daily  sacrifice" 
and  sanctuary,  till  ended  by  that  horn;  2nd.  The 
history  of  the  horn's  treading  down  of  the  sanctuary 
— how  long  the  vision  spanning  the  continuance  of 
the  two?  The  reply  is,  "Unto  2300  days;  then  shall 
the  sanctuary  [once  cast  down  and  trodden  down  by 
this  horn  from  the  time  he  took  away  the  sacrificial 
worship]  be  cleansed."  The  treading  down  of  this 
sanctuary  does  not  begin  till  this  horn  casts  it  down; 
and  that  was  not  at  the  beginning  of  the  2300  days, 
but  in  the  "week"  of  Jerusalem's  war:  "In  the  midst 
of  the  week  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  oblation 
to  cease."     Dan.  9:  27. 


270  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

It  is  sometimes  said  that  the  term  sacrifice  is  not  in 
the  original,  but  in  this  text  it  certainly  is  in  the  original, 
and  in  the  others  it  is  implied  by  "the  daily" — the 
sacrificial  daily  being  the  only  one  coupled  with  the 
sanctuary  worship.  "By  reason  of  transgression"  in 
rejecting  Christ,  Jerusalem,  its  sanctuary  and  sacrificial 
worship,  was  given  over  to  the  Romans  for  destruction; 
and  when  the  sanctuary  and  sacrifice  thus  came  to 
an  end,  the  treading  down  began.  The  sanctuary 
was  included  in  the  words  of  Jesus;  "Behold,  your 
house  [temple,  including  the  sanctuary]  is  left  unto 
you  desolate."  Matt.  23:  38.  "When  ye  shall  see 
Jerusalem  compassed  with  armies,  then  know  that 
the  desolation  thereof  [including  the  sanctuary]  is 
nigh.  .  .  And  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of 
the  Gentiles,  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  ful- 
filled." Luke  21:20-38.  "And  when  he  was  come 
near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  it,  saying, 
If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy 
day,  the  things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace!  but  now 
they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes.  For  the  days  shall  come 
upon  thee,  that  thine  enemies  shall  cast  a  trench  about 
thee,  and  compass  thee  round  about,  and  keep  thee  in 
on  every  side,  and  shall  lay  thee  even  with  the  ground, 
and  thy  children  within  thee ;  and  they  shall  not  leave 
within  thee  one  stone  upon  another;  because  thou 
kne west  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation. ' '  Luke  1 9 : 4 1-44. 

They  had  rejected  the  Messiah,  and  in  due  time  the 
Great  King  who  ruleth  over  the  kingdom  of  men 
"sent  forth  his  armies  and  burned  up  their  city," 
including  their  sanctuary,  since  which  time  it  has 
been  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  and  will  continue 
to  be  till  Gentile  times  come  to  an  end,  and  that  will 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  271 

not  be  till  the  body  of  the  "fourth  beast"  shall  be 
given  to  the  "burning  flame."  Dan.  7:  11.  After 
that,  God  will  beautify  "the  place  of  his  sanctuary." 
From  Jerusalem  shall  radiate  the  glory  that  shall 
fill  the  whole  earth:  "For  the  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion; 
he  hath  desired  it  for  his  habitation.  This  is  my  rest 
forever:  here  will  I  dwell;  for  I  have  desired  it." 

Again,  "The  moon  shall  be  confounded,  and  the 
sun  ashamed,  when  the  Lord  of  Hosts  shall  reign  in 
Mt.  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem,  and  before  his  ancients 
gloriously."  Isa.  24:  23.  "And  the  ransomed  of 
the  Lord  shall  return,  and  come  to  Zion  with  songs 
and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads:  they  shall  obtain 
joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee 
away."  Isa.  35:  10.  God  says,  "I  will  set  my  sanc- 
tuary in  the  midst  of  them  forevermore."  And  again: 
"Behold  I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing,  and  her  people 
a  joy.  And  I  will  rejoice  in  Jerusalem,  and  joy  in  my 
people."  Isa.  65:  18.  And  this  scene  is  divinely 
assigned  to  the  new  earth  state,  or  age  of  immortality. 

The  Sanctuary  of  Daniel  VIII.  and  IX. — 
Without  discoursing  upon  the  typical  and  antitypical 
sanctuary,  we  here  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  "sanctuary"  mentioned  in  the  8th  and  9th  chap- 
ters of  Daniel  is  positively  a  literal  sanctuary — nothing 
more  nor  less  than  the  veritable  Jewish  sanctuary, 
where  the  "daily  sacrifice"  was  offered  by  divine  ap- 
pointment till  the  antitypical  Lamb  was  slain,  when 
this  should  have  ceased;  but  nevertheless  did  not 
cease  till  the  Roman  horn  destroyed  the  sanctuary, 
and  thus  ended  the  sacrificial  worship.  When  Daniel 
had  seen  in  the  vision  of  the  8th  chapter  a  certain  horn 
casting  down  the  "sanctuary"  (v.  11),  and  had  heard 


272  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  angelic  question  about  the  treading  down  of  the 
"sanctuary"  (v.  13),  and  had  also  heard  the  predic- 
tion concerning  the  cleansing  of  the  "sanctuary" 
(v.  14),  he  evidently  understood  that  the  veritable 
sanctuary  at  Jerusalem  was  meant,  for  in  the  9th 
chapter  he  begins  to  pray  for  the  then  obsolete  sanc- 
tuary at  Jerusalem:  "Cause  thy  face  to  shine  upon 
thy  sanctuary  that  is  desolate"  (v.  17),  and  "Let  thine 
anger  be  turned  away  from  thy  city  Jerusalem,  thy 
holy  mountain"  (v.  16);  but  he  had  probably  imbibed 
the  incorrect  impression  that  the  promised  cleansing 
of  the  sanctuary  w^as  then  near  by,  and  the  angel  rec- 
tifies him.  by  informing  him  that  previous  to  this  work 
there  should  be — 

1.  A  restraining  of  the  transgression  of  desolation 
that  should  finally  tread  down  the  sanctuary,  and  that 
this  preceding  restraint  should  last  long  enough  to  give 
the  Jews  and  Jerusalem  a  future  history  of  4D0  years. 

2.  That  preparatory  to  that  future  history  a  com- 
mandment should  go  forth  to  restore  Jerusalem  then 
in  ruins,  and  also  that  in  483  years  from  that  edict, 
Messiah  should  come. 

3.  That  the  then  ruined  wall  of  Jerusalem  should 
finally  be  built  again,  and  in  434  years  after  this  eventi 
Messiah  should  die  for  men. 

4.  That  after  all  this  a  certain  Prince  should  come 
with  an  army,  and  again  "destroy  the  city  and  the 

SANCTUARY." 

5.  That  in  the  midst  of  the  last  seven  years  of  this 
then  future  Jewish  history,  this  Prince  should  again 
"cause  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease,"  and 
thenceforth  "make  it  desolate,  even  until  the  con- 
summation." 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  273 

Here  Daniel  was  enabled  to  see  that  the  sanctuary 
was  not  to  be  cleansed  in  the  then  near  future;  but 
that  it  must  be  restored,  and  subsequently  be  de- 
stro3'ed  by  the  prince  represented  by  the  horn  seen  in 
the  vision.  And  when  told,  "  He  shall  destroy  the  city 
and  the  sanctuary,"  he  knew,  and  we  know  that  the 
sanctuary  was  just  as  literal  as  the  city,  and  there  is  no 
use  in  trying  to  figure  out  any  other  meaning;  and  if 
a  literal  sanctuary  was  cast  down  by  the  Roman  horn 
when  Jerusalem  was  destroyed,  that  is  the  sanctuary 
to  be  trodden  under  foot  from  that  epoch  to  the  end 
of  time,  when  God  "will  make  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing," 
even  in  the  new  earth,  and  also  "beautify  the  place  of 
his  sanctuary." 

A  restored  sanctuary  does  not  involve  a  restoration 
of  sacrifices — a  typical  appendage  that  has  already 
had  its  day, — any  more  than  sacrifices  were  necessary 
in  heaven  when  the  Lord  looked  down  from  the  height 
of  his  sanctuary;  from  heaven  did  the  Lord  behold  the 
earth."  He  established  a  branch  of  his  heavenly 
sanctuary  in  Jerusalem  in  ancient  times,  and  he  will 
re-establish  it  in  the  future  on  a  grander  scale,  minus 
of  its  obsolete  appendages.  His  "sanctuary  shall 
be  in  the  midst  of  them  forevermore."  Jerusalem 
entire,  "shall  be  a  rejoicing,  and  her  people  a  joy" — 
not  before  the  restitution,  but  in  the  new  earth.  Then 
the  cleansing  will  be  a  reality. 

Jerusalem's  Future  in  Prophecy. — Jerusalem, 
once  recognized  as  "the  city  of  the  great  King,"  has 
had  a  gloomy  past,  but  will  have  a  glorious  future. 
^^^len  Jesus  said,  "Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down 
of  the  Gentiles  till  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  ful- 
filled," he  uttered  a  truthful  prediction.     But  when 


274  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  times  of  the  Gentiles  expire — which  will  not  be 
till  the  fourth  Gentile  beast  shall  be  "given  to  the 
burning  flames,"  or  last  clay  fires — Jerusalem  shall 
experience  a  change  in  her  history,  and  shall  be  peo- 
pled again  in  fulfillment  of  prophecy;  not,  however, 
in  a  mortal  state  as  some  theologians  have  claimed, 
but  in  the  new  earth,  where  mortality  and  carnality 
will  be  unknown. 

On  this  very  point  the  Lord  himself  thus  speaks: 
"Behold,  I  create  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth:  and 
the  former  shall  not  be  remembered,  nor  come  into 
mind.  But  be  ye  glad  and  rejoice  forever  in  that 
which  I  create:  for,  behold,  I  create  Jerusalem  a 
rejoicing,  and  her  people  a  joy.  And  I  will  rejoice 
in  Jerusalem,  and  joy  in  my  people:  and  the  voice  of 
weeping  shall  be  no  more  heard  in  her,  nor  the  voice 
of  crying."  Isa.  65:  17-19.  Here  is  a  glorious  future 
for  Jerusalem,  but  it  is  connected  with  the  new  earth, 
when  weeping  and  crying  is  over.  "Her  people"  will 
not  be  carnal;  and  all  who  are  previously  divested 
of  carnality,  are  invested  with  immortality  at  the 
Lord's  coming.  So  Jerusalem's  future  will  be  in  the 
age  of  immortality,  and  on  the  permanent  basis  of 
immortality. 

Jerusalem's  down-trodden  condition  will  end  when 
Gentile  times  shall  end;  and  then  comes  Messiah's 
times,  and  he  will  then  show  himself  to  be  the  "King 
of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords" — an  immortal  King, 
ruling  over  immortal  people.  The  "restitution"  will 
give  us  a  new  earth,  and  a  new  Jerusalem  on  the  site 
of  the  old,  adapted  to  the  improved  condition  of  an 
improved  people. 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  275 

THE    GREAT   MEASUREMENT, 

In  speaking  of  the  2300  days,  the  Jingel  Gabriel 
said  to  Daniel,  "At  the  time  appointed  the  end  shall 
be;"  but  as  he  had  previously  spoken  of  "the  last 
end  of  the  indignation,"  some  have  claimed  that 
reference  is  made  to  the  end  of  the  Roman  horn's 
indignation;  but  this  claim,  even  if  granted,  would 
as  certainly  carry  the  measurement  to  the  end  of  time, 
as  the  other  view,  since  this  horn  is  composed  of  the 
Pagan  and  Papal  elements  of  Rome,  reaching  clear 
dowTi  to  the  time  when  that  Rome  is  "given  to  the 
burning  flame;"  and  in  its  Papal  phase  it  was  to  "pre- 
vail" against  the  saints  "until  the  Ancient  of  days 
came;"  and  that  prevailing,  even  when  not  by  blood- 
shed, is  the  horn's  indignation;  so  its  indignation 
will  continue  till  Christ  shall  come  in  glory.  The 
angel  thus  plainly  speaks  of  the  indignation  of  the 
Papal  power:  "And  he  shall  exalt  himself,  and  mag- 
nify himself  above  every  god,  and  shall  speak  marvel- 
ous things  against  the  God  of  gods,  and  shall  prosper 
till  the  indignation  be  accomplished"  (Dan.  11:  36), 
while  Paul  quotes  this  very  prediction,  and  applies 
it  to  the  "man  of  sin,"  and  tells  us  he  shall  prevail  till 
he  is  consumed  by  the  brightness  of  Christ's  coming: 
"For  that  day  shall  not  come,  except  there  come  a 
falling  away  first,  and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the 
son  of  perdition,  who  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself 
above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped; 
so  that  he  as  God  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  show- 
ing himself  that  he  is  God.  .  .  .  And  now  ye  know 
what  withholdeth  that  he  might  be  revealed  in  his 
time.  .  .  ,  And  then  shall  that  v/icked  be  revealed, 
whom  the  Lord  shall  consume  with  the  spirit  of  his 


276  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

mouth,  and  shall  destroy  with  the  brightness  of  his 
coming."     2  Thess.  2:  3-8. 

Gabriel  makes  him  prosper  "till  the  indignation  be 
accomplished,"  and  Paul  makes  him  prosper  till 
Christ's  coming,  and  Daniel  makes  him  prevail  till  the 
Ancient  of  Days  shall  come;  so  the  Papal  indignation, 
in  some  form,  goes  to  the  judgment  day.  Then  comes 
God's  indignation  against  that  horn,  and  it  shall  be 
"broken  without  hand,"  or  by  divine  power.  This 
is  "the  last  end  of  the  indignation,"  and  is  realized 
at  the  end  itself;  and  the  great  measurement  runs  clear 
down  to  this  epoch — till  the  horn  is  "broken  without 
hand,"  for  till  thus  broken  it  will  continue  its  work  of 
treading  down  the  "sanctuary  and  the  host" — not 
the  church  and  the  church,  which  would  be  tautology. 

THE    2,300    DAYS. 

"It  is  claimed  by  some  that  the  2,300  days  mean 
2,300  lunar  years,  equivalent  to  2,230  solar  years,  and 
that  they  begin  with  the  supremacy  of  the  Grecian 
kingdom  in  3,666  A.  M.  (B.  C.  333),  and  reach  from 
thence  to  the  close  of  Gentile  times.  Is  this  claim 
tenable?" 

Investigator. 

REMARKS. 

1st.  This  effort  to  reduce  the  2,300  to  2,230  solar 
years  by  claiming  ordinary  lunar  years,  is  assumption 
without  proof,  and  totally  averse  to  Bible  practices, 
and  in  positive  conflict  therewith;  for  such  a  count  of 
continuous  ordinary  lunar  years  is  nowhere  found  in 
the  Bible,  and  is  positively  forbidden  by  it,  as  God 
said:  "This  month  [Abib,  or  Nisan]  shall  be  unto  you 
the  beginning  of  months;  it  shall  be  the  first  month  of 
the  year  to  you."     Ex.  12:  2.     Then  God  enjoined  on 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  277 

them  the  duty  of  slaying  the  Passover  lamb  on  the 
14th  day  of  this  month  every  year  "at  the  season  that 
they  came  out  of  Egypt"  (Deut.  16:  6),  at  the  time  of 
"the  first  fruits"  (Lev.  23 :  10),  or  "when  thou  beginnest 
to  put  thy  sickle  to  the  corn;"  thus  every  year  was 
to  begin  with  the  first  month,  which  was  kept  connected 
with  the  time  of  "the  first  fruits; "  and  as  a  prerequisite 
to  this,  an  embolismic  year,  or  year  of  13  moons,  was 
necessary  about  every  third  year,  otherwise  the  first 
month  would  fall  in  every  month  of  the  year  within 
about  30  years,  instead  of  being  restricted  to  the 
"season"  of  the  Exodus;  so  a  continuous  count  of 
twelve  moons  for  a  year  is  positively  forbidden. 

Every  year  began  with  Nisan,  and  every  Nisan 
came  in  time  for  the  "first  fruits;"  and  God  does  not 
outrage  his  own  rule  in  giving  the  2,300  days.  The  2,300 
years  of  lunar  time  with  its  interspersed  lunar  em- 
bolismic years,  is  about  the  same  as  2,300  solar  years, 
there  being  but  a  slight  fractional  variation;  but  a  con- 
tinuous count  of  ordinary  lunar  years,  without  the 
lunar  embolismic  years  interspersed,  was  unknown  in 
Jewish  history,  and  is  in  square  conflict  with  the  Bible. 
Lunar  and  solar  time  in  all  long  cycles  approximately 
agree,  being  adjusted  by  intercalation. 

2nd.  This  measurement  of  2,300  days  does  not 
begin  with  the  rise  of  the  Grecian  kingdom,  but  simply 
spans  the  "daily  sacrifice  and  transgression  of  desola- 
tion," and  therefore  must  begin  with  the  successful 
restoration  of  that  sacrificial  worship,  then  span- 
ning its  duration,  together  with  the  duration  of 
the  subsequent  "  desolation  " — the  two  in  succes- 
sion aggregating  a  measurement  of  2,300  days  of 
prophetic  time;  for  the  question  that  called  forth  this 


278  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

statement  of  time  was,  "How  long  shall  be  the  vision 
concerning  [or  measuring]  the  daily  sacrifice,  and  the 
transgression  of  desolation?"  (Dan.  8:  13) — the  two 
things  coming  in  succession,  the  latter  beginning 
when  the  first  ended;  and  the  question  was  prompted 
by  what  was  seen  in  the  vision,  namely:  a  certain 
horn  taking  away  the  daily  sacrifice  (which  did  not 
then  exist,  but  was  to  exist),  and  then  inaugurating  a 
subsequent  desolation. 

As  the  thing  to  be  measured  must  come  into  existence 
before  the  beginning  of  the  measurement,  we  only  need 
to  learn  when  this  Jewish  "daily  sacrifice"  was  suc- 
cessfully restored,  it  not  being  then  in  existence,  the 
Jews  being  then  in  captivity.  We  say  when  it  was 
"successfully"  restored,  as  several  unsuccessful  efforts 
were  made  to  restore  it;  and  we  must  not  begin  the 
measurement  at  these  epochs.  One  effort  was  made 
to  restore  it  at  the  return  of  the  caravan  under  Cyrus, 
but  it  failed.  Another  effort  was  made  under  Darius, 
at  the  erection  of  the  temple,  but  it  soon  relapsed  into 
a  signal  failure.  Another  under  Artaxerxes  by  Ezra, 
but  this  utterly  failed.  Another  effort  was  made  by 
Nehemiah,  which  at  first  proved  unsuccessful;  but  a 
second  effort  of  Nehemiah  was  successful,  this  second 
effort  being  made  after  his  twelve  years'  governor- 
ship was  over,  and  after  he  had  gone  back  to  Babylon, 
and  subsequently  returned  to  Jerusalem. 

During  his  absence  after  the  twelve  years  were  out, 
and  while  Nehemiah  was  in  Babylon,  Eliashib  the 
priest  inaugurated  ■  an  apostacy,  culminating  in  the 
abandonment  of  the  temple  worship  which  Nehemiah 
had  before  tried  to  establish.  Nehemiah  thus  reports 
the  matter :  "  But  in  all  this  time  was  not  I  at  Jerusalem, 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  279 

[Why?]  for  in  the  two  and  thirtieth  year  of  Artaxerxes 
king  of  Babylon  came  I  unto  the  king,  and  after  certain 
days,  obtained  I  leave  of  the  king :  and  I  came  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  understood  of  the  evil  that  Eliashib  did  for 
Tobiah,  in  preparing  him  a  chamber  in  the  courts  of 
the  house  of  God.  And  it  grieved  me  sore:  therefore 
I  cast  forth  all  the  household  stuff  of  Tobiah  out  of  the 
chamber.  Then  I  commanded,  and  they  cleansed  the 
chambers:  and  thither  brought  I  again  the  vessels  of 
the  house  of  God,  with  the  meat  offering  and  the 
frankincense.  And  I  perceived  that  the  portions  of 
the  Levites  had  not  been  given  them:  for  the  Levites 
and  the  singers,  that  did  the  work,  were  fled  every  one 
to  his  field.  Then  contended  I  ^\ith  the  rulers,  and 
said.  Why  is  the  house  of  God  forsaken?  And  I 
gathered  them  together,  and  set  them  in  their  place. 
Then  brought  all  Judah  the  tithe  of  the  corn"  (Neh. 
13:  9-12).  Then  he  put  in  new  officers,  and  adds 
concerning  them:  "They  were  counted  faithful." 

This  was  the  successful  restoration  of  "the  daily 
sacrifice,"  from  which  to  measure  the  2,300  days.  If 
we  are  right  in  making  the  32nd  of  Artaxerxes  to  be 
405  B.  c,  we  have  here  found  a  cycle  of  nine  years 
within  which  this  restored  sacrificial  worship  began, 
for  it  was  during  the  reign  of  the  king  Artaxerxes,  as 
well  as  after  his  32nd  year;  and  history  gives  him  41 
years,  down  to  396  b.  c.  It  is  possible  that  Nehemiah 
was  absent  from  Jerusalem  after  his  twelve  years,  or 
after  Artaxerxes'  32d  year,  but  a  few  months,  and 
also  possible  that  he  was  gone  a  few  years,  during 
which  time  this  worship  was  abandoned;  but  it  is 
certain  that  it  was  restored  during  the  kings'  reign — 
that  is,  between  405  b.  c,  and  396  b.  c,  thus  ending 


280  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  2,300  days  between  1896  a.  d.,  and  1905  a.  d. 
Here  is  a  cycle  of  nine  years ;  but  the  early  part  of  the 
cycle  is  the  more  probable  point.  Perhaps  a  little 
indefiniteness  is  purposely  left  in  the  record  to  agree 
with  the  waiting  attitude  of  the  church. 

It  is  sometimes  objected  that  the  word  "sacrifice" 
in  the  vision  is  supplied;  but  it  is  correctly  supplied; 
for  in  speaking  of  the  same  power  symbolized  by  the 
"horn/'  the  angel  told  Daniel,  "He  shall  cause  the 
sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease"  (Dan.  9:  27),  and  here 
the  word  "sacrifice  "  is  not  supplied,  but  is  in  the  original 
text. 

Sanctuary  Cleansing. — "Dear  Bro.  Sheldon:  Will 
you  please  state  what  you  understand  by  the  cleansing 
of  the  sanctuary?     Dan.  8:  14." 

REMARKS. 

The  sanctuary  to  be  cleansed,  or  "justified,"  Margin, 
is  the  particular  one  under  consideration  in  the  prophecy 
— not  a  sanctuary,  but  the  sanctuary  distinctly  named 
in  the  prophecy,  as  being  desecrated  by  a  symbolic 
horn:  "He  magnified  himself  even  to  the  prince  [High 
Priest]  of  the  host,  and  by  him  the  daily  sacrifice  was 
taken  away,  and  the  place  of  his  sanctuary  cast  down. 
And  a  host  [an  army]  was  given  him  against  the  daily 
sacrifice  by  reason  of  [or,  because  of]  transgression,  and 
it  cast  truth  down  to  the  ground,  and  it  [the  horn] 
practiced  and  prospered."  This  description  of  the 
desecrating  work  of  a  certain  horn  that  should  rise, 
and  obliterate  the  Jewish  sacrificial  worship  after  it 
should  again  be  restored  (for  it  had  no  existence  then) 
prompted  the  query,  "  How  long  shall  be  the  vision  con- 
cerning the  daily  sacrifice  [that  this  horn  should  take 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  281 

away], and  the  transgression  of  desolation  (produced 
by  this  horn)  to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and  the  host 
(Jewish  host)  to  be  trodden  under  foot?"  The  reply 
is,  "Unto  2,300  days;  then  shall  THE  sanctuary  be 
cleansed," — the  very  one  under  consideration,  and  no 
other — the  sanctuary  in  Jerusalem. 

In  this  vision  the  prophet  saw  that  the  daily  sacrifice, 
which  was  then  extinct,  was  to  be  restored  for  a  time; 
that  a  certain  horn  should  subsequently  rise  and  take 
it  away,  and  cast  down  the  sanctuary  where  it  had  been 
so  long  offered;  that  all  this  was  to  be  because  of  the 
transgression  of  the  Jews;  that  thenceforth  a  long 
desolation  should  follow.  How  long  the  two  then 
future  events — the  daily  sacrifice  to  be  restored  and 
then  taken  away,  and  the  desolation  to  follow?  The 
aggregate  is  given  as  2,300  days.  Then  the  desolation 
should  end. 

The  term  here  rendered  sanctuary,  means  a  "place 
set  apart" — set  apart  for  divine  worship;  set  apart 
for  that  kind  of  worship  required  by  God  after  the 
typical  law  has  expired;  set  apart  as  the  place  for 
the  manifestation  of  the  shekinal  glory  among  men; 
and  will  hereafter  be  the  central  point  of  divine  mani- 
festations, enclosed  by  the  new  Jerusalem,  shrouded 
by  the  glory  of  God,  shining  over  the  earth  at    large. 

The  sanctuary  was  pre-eminently  the  divinely  ap- 
pointed central  place  of  worship;  but  its  restoration 
will  not  involve  the  restored  typical  form  of  worship 
which  has  served  its  purpose.  Even  after  the  resur- 
rection, God  says:  "I  will  set  my  sanctuary  in  the 
midst  of  them  forevermore"  (Ezek.  37:  26);  but  pre- 
paratory to  this,  another  prophet  foretells  the  oblit- 
eration of  carnal  kingdoms  on  earth,  saying:   "For 


282  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  nation  and  kingdom  that  will  not  serve  thee  shall 
perish;  yea,  those  nations  shall  be  utterly  wasted: 
(then)  the  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  come  unto  thee, 
the  fir  tree,  the  pine  tree,  and  the  box  together,  to  beau- 
tify the  place  of  my  sanctuary;  and  I  will  make  the 
place  of  my  feet  glorious."  Isa.  60:12,  13.  This 
cleansing  is  due  when  the  judgment  comes;  and  then, 
though  the  restored  sanctuary  will  be  in  Jerusalem  as 
of  yore,  the  kingdom  will  be  "under  the  whole  heaven," 
occupied  only  by  saints  immortal.  The  King  of  glory 
will  have  his  central  seat  in  the  cleansed  sanctuary 
forever. 

This  Jerusalem  sanctuary  was  then  spoken  of  by 
Moses  at  the  beginning  of  Israel's  nationality:  "Thou 
shalt  bring  them  in,  and  plant  them  in  the  mountain 
of  thine  inheritance,  in  the  place,  0  Lord,  which  thou 
hast  made  for  thee  to  dwell  in;  in  the  sanctuary,  O 
Lord,  which  thy  hands  have  established"  (Ex.  15:17); 
and  David  adds:  "And  he  brought  them  to  the  border 
of  his  sanctuary,  even  to  this  mountain,  which  his 
right  hand  had  purchased"  (Ps.  78:54);  and  there 
God  dwelt  among  men  for  centuries  in  the  shekinal 
glory  between  the  cherubim  in  Mount  Zion,  which 
mount  is  here  styled  "the  border  of  his  sanctuary,"  or 
its  outskirts — the  container  of  the  sanctuary,  instead 
of  being  the  sanctuary  itself — and  there  the  Lord 
wiU  hereafter  dwell  in  person  when  the  sanctuary 
shall  have  been  cleansed:  "For  the  Lord  hath  chosen 
Zion;  he  hath  desired  it  for  his  habitation.  This  is 
my  rest  forever:  here  will  I  dwell;  for  I  have  desired  it." 
Ps.  132:13. 

Not  as  it  is,  in  its  polluted  state,  but  as  it  will  be, 
delivered   from   usurpers,    and    "cleansed"   from   its 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  283 

pollution.  And  when  the  cleansing  time  is  due  "He 
will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor"  (Matt.  3:  12) — not  a 
little  part  of  it,  but  the  whole — purge  it  from  death; 
then,  though  the  cleansed  sanctuary  will  be  in  Jerusa- 
lem, all  its  surroundings  will  be  adapted  to  its 
restored  state,  when  "the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in 
Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem,  and  before  his  ancients 
gloriously" — the  whole  earth  will  be  new,  and  freed 
from  pollution. 

The  Little  Horn  of  Daniel  VIL 

When  did  it  rise?  That  is,  when  did  it  reach  its 
supremacy?  Various  dates  have  been  assigned  by 
honest  prophetic  students,  but  they  all  cannot  be 
right,  and  yet  some  date  must  be  right,  and  when 
found  will  throw  light  upon  our  pathway,  enabling  us 
to  see  our  proximity  to  the  coming  of  the  promised 
kingdom,  provided  this  horn  really  symbolizes  the 
power  that  was  to  persecute  the  saints  for  1260  years. 

Let  us  read  the  prophecy  carefully  concerning  its 
rise  and  character.  Said  Daniel:  "I  considered  the 
horns  [the  ten  horns],  and  behold,  there  came  up 
among  them  another  little  horn,  before  whom  there 
were  three  of  the  first  horns  plucked  up  by  the  roots: 
and  behold,  in  this  horn  there  were  eyes  like  the  eyes 
of  man,  and  a  mouth  speaking  great  things."  Dan. 
7:8.  Here  we  simply  learn  that  this  horn  arose 
among  the  ten,  and  plucked  up  three  of  the  ten  to 
make  place  for  its  own  supremacy.  In  the  angel's 
explanation  it  is  said:  "And  the  ten  horns  out  of  this 
kingdom  are  ten  kings  that  shall  arise;  and  another 
shall  rise  after  them;  and  he  shall  be  diverse  from 
the  first,  and  he  shall  subdue  three  kings.     And  he 


284  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

shall  speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High,  and 
shall  wear  out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  and  think 
to  change  times  and  laws:  and  they  shall  be  given 
into  his  hand  until  a  time  and  times,  and  the  dividing 
of  time." 

Here  we  have  the  following  order:  1st.  This  horn 
should  arise  after  the  ten.  2nd.  It  should  next  pluck 
up  three  of  the  ten.  3rd.  Next  in  order  should  be 
its  career  of  blasphemy  and  butchery  for  a  "time, 
times,  and  the  dividing  of  time." 

In  the  light  of  this  divinely  specified  order,  is  it 
not  our  duty  to  begin  this  prophetic  measurement 
after  the  work  of  plucking  up  of  the  horns  is  com- 
pleted? These  horns  appear  to  have  stood  in  the 
way  of  his  supremacy,  and  we  must  begin  the  meas- 
urement with  its  supremacy  instead  of  its  incipient 
stage;  for  if  we  should  begin  with  its  incipient  stage, 
we  would  have  to  begin  away  back  in  Paul's  day,  as 
Paul  then  affirmed:  "The  mystery  of  iniquity  doth 
already  work:  only  he  who  now  letteth  will  let  [or 
hinder],  until  he  be  taken  out  of  the  way."  2  Thess. 
2:7. 

Paganism  was  the  first  form  of  the  hindering  power, 
and  Arianism  was  the  last,  through  the  three  Arian 
horns,  the  last  of  which  was  plucked  up  at  least  as 
early  as  a.  d.  554,  as  all  agree.  When  these  hindering 
horns  were  uprooted,  his  supremacy  was  fairly  estab- 
lished. Now  his  path  is  clear,  and  he  can  change  times 
and  laws  without  opposition,  and  blaspheme  the  God 
of  heaven,  and  begin  his  war  on  the  church;  in  short, 
the  hindering  power  being  removed,  which  had  so 
long  held  him  in  check,  he  can  have  his  own  way 
without  restraint.     This  is  his  supremacy.     Why  not 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  285 

begin  the  measurement  here?  If  we  begin  it  with 
the  first  persecution  that  we  can  find  prior  to  its  su- 
premacy, it  would  certainly  have  ended  the  1335  days 
Icng  ago,  if  they  begin  with  this  measurement.  The 
last  horn  contested  the  supremacy  of  this  power  for 
about  fifteen  years  before  being  exterminated  in  the 
contest;  then  the  hindrance  was  removed,  and  Papal 
supremacy  was  established  by  force  of  arms,  and  a 
stake  is  driven  from  which  to  reckon. 

If  we  begin  the  1260  days  with  the  extermination 
of  the  last  of  the  three  horns  in  a.  d.  554,  they  would 
close  in  A.  d.  1814,  when  the  Holy  Alliance  proclaimed 
universal  religious  toleration — thus  legally  taking  the 
saints  out  of  the  hands  of  the  papacy.  Local  edicts 
of  toleration  had  been  previously  issued — as,  for 
instance,  that  of  Austria — but  these  local  decrees  were 
not  general,  but  limited  affairs:  but  this  was  issued 
by  a  combination  of  the  strongest  powers  on  earth. 
This  looks  like  a  fit  place  to  end  the  1260  days. 

If  we  begin  the  1335  days  at  the  same  starting 
point,  we  see  not  how  to  carry  them  beyond  1889  at 
the  furthest.  While  we  would  be  neither  too  definite, 
nor  too  sanguine,  we  would  concede  to  God  his  right 
to  put  prophetic  measurements  into  the  Bible,  and 
admit  the  right  of  the  saints  to  respect  them  in  spite 
of  past  incorrect  calculations. 

We  deplore  the  efforts  of  some  to  depreciate,  and 
even  to  abrogate  Heaven's  time  measurements.  If 
our  eagerness  to  learn  the  earliest  possible  time  for 
redemption  has  led  us  to  begin  our  measurements 
with  plausible  starting  points  which  were  really  too 
early,  and  consequently  to  end  them  too  soon,  this 
in  no  way  invalidates  the  fact  that  such  measurements 


286  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

are  really  in  the  Bible,  and  placed  there  for  a  purpose 
too;  not  to  prove  forever  a  blind  enigma  to  the  church, 
but  to  benefit  it  by  throwing  light  upon  its  pathway 
sufficiently  strong  at  least  to  augment  her  watchful- 
ness, and  to  remove  extreme  indefiniteness.  We  have 
not  been  mocking  the  world  with  cunningly  devised 
fables  in  presenting  the  prophetic  programme,  even  if 
we  have  been  premature.   The  end  is  surely  upon  us.* 

The  Two-horned  Beast. 

"Bro.  Wm.  Sheldon: — I  want  to  know  what  you 
consider  to  be  the  fulfillment  of  the  ''two-horned" 
beast  of  Revelation.  Do  you  consider  it  to  be  the 
Popes?     Some  claim  one  thing  and  some  another. 

"V.  F.  Hunt." 
Reply. 

For  long  years  we  have  believed,  and  still  believe, 
that  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  elements  of  Papacy 
are  presented  by  a  double  symbol  in  Rev.  13 — the 
civil  element  being  foreshadowed  by  a  ten-horned 
beast,  and  the  ecclesiastical  element  by  a  two-horned 
beast — just  as  a  double  symbol  is  employed  in  the 
17th  chapter  for  the  same  purpose;  a ten-horned^beast 
to  represent  the  combination  of  civil  papal  powers, 
and  a  woman  seated  upon  this  civil  beast,  to  guide  it, 
being  a  symbol  of  the  ecclesiastical  or  church  power, 
"reigning  over  the  kings  of  the  earth." 

The  two  horns  doubtless  indicate  the  spiritual  and 


*  "The  three  kingdoms  'plucked  up'  by  this  ' little  horn,'  as 
all  prophetical  expositors  agree,  were,  .  .  .  '  the  Exarchate  of 
Ravenna,  Lombardy,  and  the  State  of  Rome,'  which  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Papal  See  .  .  .  respectively  in  a.  d.  730,  755, 
and  774." — Shimeall,  p.  157.  We  here  suggest,  only,  that 
"  the  little  horn "  must  already  have  been  up,  when  "  before 
him   there  were  three   plucked  up." 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  287 

civil  power  of  this  church  beast;  for  it  had  a  temporal 
kingdom — including  "the  territories  of  Ravenna, 
Bologna  and  Ferrara" — over  which  the  head  of  the 
Papal  church  ruled  as  a  temporal  prince  for  centuries, 
besides  exercising  spiritual  authority  over  other  king- 
doms. This  beast  existed  in  the  days  of  the  ten- 
horned  beast,  for  he  "exerciseth  all  the  authority  of 
the  first  beast  in  his  sight"  (Revision),  and  makes 
an  "image"  early  enough  to  "cause  that  as  many  as 
shoiild  not  worship  the  image  of  the  beast  should  be 
killed;"  so  the  two-horned  beast  does  not  rise  after 
the  persecution,  but  before  it. 

The  Time  of  Trouble. 

1.  Will  it  be  upon  the  saints,  or  only  on  sinners? 
"And  at  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great 
prince  which  stand eth  for  the  children  of  thy  people: 
and  there  shall  be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never 
was  since  there  was  a  nation  even  to  that  same  time: 
and  at  that  time  thy  people  shall  be  delivered,  every 
one  that  shall  be  found  written  in  the  book."  Dan. 
12:1.  As  the  saints  arc  "delivered"  when  Michael 
stands  up,  and  as  deliverance  will  not  bring  trouble, 
the  trouble  must  be  on  the  class  not  delivered — on 
the  wicked.  There  is  no  intimation  that  the  saints 
shall  share  this  trouble  for  a  while,  and  then  get  de- 
liverance out  of  it,  but  the  deliverance  comes  at  the 
time  the  trouble  comes. 

2.  The  time  of  trouble  does  not  precede  the  stand- 
ing up  of  Michael,  but  commences  at  that  very  time, 
and  is  caused  by  that  remarkable  event  that  also 
brings  deliverance  to  the  saints,  in  agreement  with  the 
words  of  Jesus:    "And  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the 


288  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

earth  mourn,  and  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  com- 
ing in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory. 
And  he  shall  send  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a 
trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from 
the  four  winds."  Matt.  24:30.  Here  is  trouble  on 
the  wicked  produced  by  the  same  event  that  brings 
deliverance  to  the  saints.  The  saints  do  not  share 
the  trouble  at  all,  nor  does  the  trouble  exist  along 
time  before  the  deliverance;  but  the  trouble  for  one 
class,  and  the  deliverance  for  the  other  class,  come 
simultaneously — one  event  bringing  both  results. 
One  shall  be  taken  and  the  other  be  left — left  to  ex- 
perience this  trouble;  for  when  he  comes  "every  eye 
shall  see  him;  they  also  that  pierced  him:  and  all 
kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him." 
This  will  indeed  be  a  time  of  trouble  hitherto  unpar- 
alleled in  this  world's  history.  It  is  the  day  of  wrath. 
The  saints  have  all  left.     Sinners  only  remain. 

At  the  destruction  of  Sodom  Lot  must  flee  to  Zoar 
before  the  outpouring  of  wrath,  for  the  angel  said  to 
him:  "Haste  thee,  escape  thither;  for  I  can  do  nothing 
till  thou  be  come  tliither."  So  the  saints  will  leave 
before  the  sinners'  fiery  ordeal  is  inaugurated.  At  the 
time  of  the  flood  Noah  must  enter  the  ark  before  the 
terrible  storm  began.  So  the  saints  will  first  enter 
the  New  Jerusalem  chambers — then  the  wrath  of  God 
will  be  displayed  against  his  enemies.  When  sinners 
see  that  the  day  of  wrath  has  dawned,  their  trouble 
will  begin;  but  it  will  culminate  in  the  second  death, 
in  the  lake  of  fire.* 


*Editor  Stockinan  endorsed  this  article,  quoting  twelve  lines 
of  it. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

ON   ADVENTISM. 


The  Advent  Movement,  Was  It  of  God? 

Men  of  the  world  propound  this  question,  and  have 
a  right  to  do  so.  Our  ecclesiastical  neighbors  pro- 
pound it,  and  it  is  their  duty  to  ask  the  question, 
and  also  to  wait  for  an  authentic  reply.  Shallow 
Adventists  sometimes  reiterate  the  question  in  doubt- 
fid  tones — Was  the  Advent  movement  of  God?  While 
we  would  not  for  a  moment  insist  that  everything 
that  has  been  coupled  therewith  has  had  the  stamp 
of  divinity  upon  it,  but  freely  grant  that  many  human 
appendages,  needless  excesses,  disastrous  extremes 
and  ruinous  abuses  have  been  grafted  on  to  it  through 
the  blind  zeal  of  misguided  friends,  still  we  insist  that 
the  message  itself  was  of  divine  origin.  Without 
arguing  the  question  fully,  we  here  hint  at  some  of 
the  reasons  for  our  conclusion. 

1.  It  was  in  fulfillment  of  prophecy.  Before  the 
coming  of  the  heavenly  Bridegroom  a  cry  was  to  be 
given,  "Behold,  the  Bridegroom  cometh,  go  ye  out 
to  meet  him!"  And  not  only  was  this  cry  to  be  given 
before  the  coming  of  the  Bridegroom,  but  long  enough 
before  for  all  of  the  virgins  to  trim  their  lamps,  or 
to  investigate  their  Bibles — a  work  preceding  the 
close  of  probation,  and  doubtless  covering  a  term   of 

289 


290  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

years,  while  oil  is  to  be  obtained,  some  wisely  obtain- 
ing it,  others  foolishly  omitting  to  do  so  till  too  late. 
Analogous  to  this  proclamation  is  the  announcement 
of  the  symbolic  angels  between  the  sixth  and  seventh 
trumpets,  "Time  shall  be  no  longer."  Such  a  thrill- 
ing message  was  due,  and  such  a  message  accom- 
panied the  Advent  movement,  and  this  message  was 
either  the  genuine  or  the  counterfeit;  if  it  is  the  coun- 
terfeit, then  the  genuine,  a  similar  move,  is  yet  to 
come;  and  if  it  is  the  counterfeit,  it  is  not  a  strange 
thing  to  have  counterfeit  put  in  circulation  before 
the  genuine  is  issued?  But  if  the  Advent  movement 
is  of  God,  we  should  not  belittle  it  because  of  its  un- 
popularity among  men,  nor  fail  to  do  all  in  our  power 
to  give  it  the  impetus  due  the  last  sacred  message  to 
mortal  men.  We  are  the  custodians  of  this  great 
message,  and  must  not  put  it  under  a  bushel. 

2.  It  was  a  movement  needed  to  rectify  the  con- 
fused and  benighted  eschatology  of  the  church — to 
count  out  the  traditions  that  had  been  so  extensively 
substituted  for  truth,  concerning  a  disembodied  em- 
igration to  glory  before  the  judgment,  and  inherent  im- 
mortality independent  of  Christ — and  to  restore  the 
good  tidings  from  God  to  men  the  promise  of  a  king- 
dom to  come  on  earth  after  the  resurrection  and  return 
of  Christ,  by  virtue  of  a  restitution,  when  the  new 
heavens  and  new  earth  shall  be  enjoyed  by  the  saints 
of  every  age,  clothed  with  immortality.  These  God- 
given  truths,  so  long  obscured,  belong  to  the  true 
gospel;  and  this  great  announcement  of  the  coming 
King  to  establish  his  promised  kingdom,  has  led  to  a 
separation  of  the  chaff  from  the  wheat,  or  of  tradition 
from  the  gospel,  and  that  work  is  still  progressing,  and 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  291 

will  progress  till  the  end.  The  Advent  movement 
is  not  ended,  but  is  onward.  Let  its  friends  pause 
to  inquire,  Is  it  of  God?  and  then  act  their  part  well. 
We  have  work  to  do,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest 
in  the  list,  and  should  be  about  it  everywhere  and 
constantly. 

An  Ancient  Doctrine. — Men  are  anxious  to  es- 
tablish the  antiquity  of  human  systems.  So  while 
the  land  is  being  flooded  with  modern  substitutes  for 
truth,  we  call  to  mind  the  fact  that  rejected  truth 
bears  the  infallible  brand  of  antiquity — especially  that 
despised  truth  of  the  Lord's  coming.  Instead  of 
being  originally  a  New  Testament  doctrine,  the  theory 
of  the  Lord's  coming  shines  out  in  distinctive  clear- 
ness even  in  the  Old  Testament  as  well.  It  is  the 
most  ancient  theory  on  record. 

1.  It  is  hinted  at  in  the  first  promise  that  saluted 
the  ears  of  fallen  man,  that  the  seed  of  the  woman 
(Christ)  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head;  for  though 
that  seed  appeared  over  eighteen  hundred  years  ago, 
the  bruising  is  yet  future;  and  this  bruising  involves 
the  coming  back  of  the  now  absent  Seed.  And  he  will 
return  with  deific  power  to  crush  the  foe  of  fallen  man. 

2.  Enoch  made  a  clearer  prediction  in  the  seventh 
generation  from  the  creation  of  Adam:  "Behold,  the 
Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  his  saints,  to  exe- 
cute judgment  upon  all."  Here  Enoch  not  only 
announces  the  fact  of  his  coming,  but  also  the  object 
of  it — "to  execute  judgment" — thus  rebuking  the 
theory  which  places  the  judgment  this  side  of  his 
coming.  The  faith  which  couples  the  judgment  with 
the  Lord's  coming  is  thus  shown  to  be  as  old  as  the 
announcement  of  his  coming  itself. 


292  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

3.  Job,  too,  foresaw  this  event,  and  cried  out, 
"He  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth," 
and  then  he  affirms,  "In  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God." 
The  "latter  day"  will  bring  the  Redeemer  to  awaken 
the  holy  sleepers.  "Thou  shalt  call,"  said  Job,  "and 
I  will  answer  thee."  What  a  "call"  that  will  be 
that  shall  break  the  slumbers  of  death;  and  what 
an  "answer"  that  wUl  be,  too,  ringing  through  the 
vast  empire  of  hades — not  from  the  lips  of  a  resur- 
rected Job  merely,  but  also  from  the  lips  of  all  the 
awakened  saints,  like  "the  voice  of  many  waters," 
combined  with  the  voice  "of  mighty  thunderings," 
saying,  "Alleluia." 

4.  Another  Old  Testament  prophet  inquires:  "Who 
may  abide  the  day  of  his  coming?"  The  fact  of  his 
coming  is  here  set  forth,  with  the  intimation  that  some 
will  be  found  unready  for  the  event.  And  elsewhere 
this  is  more  than  intimated:  he  comes  to  the  joy  of 
his  friends,   and  to  the  dismay  of  his  enemies. 

5.  In  vision  Daniel  beheld  "one  like  the  Son  of 
man,"  who  "came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,"  to 
whom  there  was  given  a  "kingdom"  of  perpetual 
duration.  He  is  elsewhere  called  by  David  "the 
King  of  glory,"  and  by  Isaiah  "the  King  in  his  beauty." 
Though  now  in  heaven,  he  is  destined  to  come  back 
to  earth,  and  "reign  in  Mount  Zion,  and  in  Jerusalem, 
and  before  his  ancients  gloriously;"  and  then  will  be 
fulfilled  the  prophetic  statement  made  in  the  second 
Psalm,  and  made  applicable  to  Christ  by  New  Testa- 
ment writers:  "Yet  have  I  set  my  King  on  my  holy 
hill"  of  Zion. 

6.  The  prophet  Zechariah  also  cries  out,  "The 
Lord  my  God  shall  come,  and  all  the  saints  with  thee;" 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  293 

and  affirms,  "The  Lord  shall  be  King  over  all  the 
earth."  This  statement  recognizes  the  fact  that 
earth's  future  King  is  now  in  heaven,  and  destined 
to  come  therefrom  hereafter. 

7.  And  the  Lord  speaks  through  the  prophet 
Malaehi  concerning  the  day  when  he  will  gather  the 
obedient  ones  as  his  treasure,  saying,  "They  shall  be 
mine  in  that  day  when  I  make  up  my  jcAvels,  and  I 
will  spare  them  as  a  father  spareth  his  onl}'-  son  that 
serveth  him;"  and  then  says  to  the  wicked,  "Then 
shall  ye  return  and  discern  between  him  that  serveth 
God,  and  him  that  serveth  him  not."  When  the  saints 
shall  be  robed  with  immortality,  and  be  caught  away 
to  meet  their  Lord,  the  wdcked  will  discern  a  differ- 
ence between  the  destiny  of  him  that  serveth  God, 
and  him  that  serveth  him  not. 

We  have  thus  presented  a  sample  of  Old  Testament 
Adventism,  without  reference  to  New  Testament  testi- 
mony. In  consideration  of  the  abundance  of  testi- 
mony on  this  topic,  so  clear  and  positive,  it  is  a  wonder 
that  everybody  is  not  looking  for  a  King  to  come  from 
heaven  to  reign  on  the  earth  hereafter  forever.  Nor  is 
this  doctrine  new  to  the  Christian  church  in  its  earlier 
history,  though  so  extensively  repudiated  at  the 
present  day.     The  poetic  Wesley  could  sing — 

"The  church  in  her  militant  state 

Is  wearj',  and  cannot  forbear; 
The  saints  in  an  agony  wait, 

To   see   him   again  in   the   air: 
The  news  of  his  coming  I  hear, 

And  join  in  the  catholic  cry. 
Lord  Jesus  in  triumph  appear, — 

Appear   in   the   clouds   of   the   sky." 


294  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

And  Dr.  Watts  could  cry  out — 

"Lo,  what  a  glorious  sight  appears 
To  our  beheving  eyes; 

The  earth  and  seas  are  passed  away, 
And  the  old  roUing  skies. 

The  God  of  glory  down  to  men 
Removes  his  blest  abode — 


Attending  angels  shout  for  joy, 

And  the  bright  armies  sing, 
Mortals,  behold  the  sacred  seat 

Of  your  descending  King." 

Finally  his  poetic  spirit  thus  gave  vent — 

"  How  bright  the  vision,   O  how  long 
Shall  this  glad  hour  delay? 
Fly   swifter  round,   ye  wheels   of  time, 
And  bring  the  welcome  day." 

More  of  this  scriptural  enthusiasm  is  needed  in  the 
church  to-day. 

Is  There  A  Cause? — We  are  standing  out  before 
the  world  as  a  distinct  and  peculiar  people  in  point  of 
faith — a  "spectacle  to  the  world/'  a  "sect  everywhere 
spoken  against,"  with  every  man's  hand  against  us 
— an  unpopular  people.  Is  there  a  cause  why  we 
should  occupy  this  position?  Are  we  really  the  cus- 
todians of  a  sacred  message  that  cannot  receive  due 
prominence  without  this  stand  on  our  part?  A  mes- 
sage that  cannot  be  made  aggressive  on  any  other 
principle—that  ignores  hand-cuffs,  gags,  bribes,  com- 
promises— a  message  that  is  due  this  last  generation, 
has  compelled  us  to  take  this  stand  that  it  may  be 
made  duly  conspicuous.  If  there  ever  was  a  reason 
why  we  should  become  a  distinct  people,  in  order  to 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  295 

properly  proclaim  a  smothered  message,  that  reason 
still  exists.  The  fact  that  we  have  fought  ourselves 
into  favorable  recognition  by  our  former  opposers,  in 
no  way  argues  that  we  should  merge  into  their  bodies, 
to  carry  dark  lanterns,  to  put  our  light  under  a  bushel 
nine-tenths  of  the  time,  to  violate  our  own  sense  of 
duty  in  order  to  keep  peace,  or  else  to  fight  the  old 
battle  over  again,  and  finally  to  come  out  anew  where 
we  now  stand  to  have  hberty  to  preach  our  faith  fully 
and  faithfully. 

A  brief  reminiscence  will  refresh  the  mind  with  the 
struggle  we  had  for  the  right  of  free  speech  upon  the 
nearing  Advent,  compelling  us  to  take  an  independent 
stand,  even  before  we  had  seen  the  light  on  the  life  and 
death  question — a  theme  hated  even  worse  by  our  op- 
posers — and  the  church  cannot  be  found  on  earth 
where  these  principles  would  long  be  tolerated  in  their 
full  strength  continually,  proclaimed  as  among  our 
people.  If  w^e  were  right  in  taking  the  stand  we  did, 
we  are  right  in  maintaining  it,  and  wrong  in  deserting 
it.  It  is  true  that  we  could  get  more  human  honor 
and  salary  on  another  line;  but  is  fame  and  finance 
the  potent  consideration?  If  we  were  wrong  in  taking 
an  independent  stand  at  first,  in  order  to  proclaim  our 
convictions  concerning  the  nearing  Advent,  instead  of 
allowing  gags  to  be  put  into  our  mouths,  then  our  early 
foes  were  right  in  opposing  this  message,  and  trampling 
it  into  the  dust,  and  consec^uently  the  message  itself 
was  wrong.  But  if  the  message  itself  is  right,  minus 
its  human  appendages,  the  stand  taken  against  it  was 
wrong,  and  the  stand  taken  for  it  was  right;  and  if 
right  then,  it  is  still  right,  and  ever  will  be  right. 

There  is,  therefore,  a  cause  for  our  distinctive  stand. 


296  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

Our  work  is  not  yet  done,  nor  will  it  be  ended  till  the 
Master  comes.  He  would  have  us  faithfully  giving 
meat  in  due  season  to  the  household  of  faith:  "Bless- 
ed is  that  servant  whom  his  Lord  when  he  cometh 
shall  find  so  doing."  If  found  crying,  "My  Lord  de- 
layeth  his  coming,"  the  devine  anathema  will  be  in- 
curred instead.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  indifference  with 
Christ  whether  his  friends  are  indifferent  to  the  question 
of  his  future  coming  or  not.  Having  taken  so  much 
pains  to  present  signs  of  his  near  return,  he  would  not 
have  his  friends  close  their  eyes  to  the  evidence  thus 
furnished.  And  this  evidence  must  not  be  kept  in  a 
corner,  but  sounded  out,  not  faintly  and  fearfully,  but 
as  a  sacred  message  which  has  the  right  of  way,  and 
not  to  be  subordinated. 

We  are  glad  to  recognize  the  fact  that  there  are  some 
individuals  in  the  ministry  connected  with  the  various 
religious  bodies  who  are  more  or  less  interested  in  the 
themes  of  conditional  immortality,  and  the  return  of 
Christ  to  reign  on  earth  renewed ;  but  usually  they  are 
like  chickens  just  hatching  out,  having  just  picked 
their  shell  enough  to  peep  a  little,  or  perhaps  are  run- 
ning with  the  shell  on  their  backs,  but  seldom  get  out 
far  enough  to  crow  much — and  if  they  do,  an  ecclesias- 
tical rumpus  is  pretty  sure  to  be  inaugurated;  but  a 
man  with  this  Advent  faith  can  be  tolerated  in  some 
localities,  provided  he  holds  it  secretly,  or  at  least  pre- 
sents it  but  meagerly.  While  some  in  these  bodies  are 
seeing  the  light,  as  bodies  they  will  never  herald  the 
Second  Advent  near,  any  more  than  the  Jewish  church, 
after  having  once  committed  themselves  against  the 
first  Advent  message,  would  subsequently  as  a  body 
accept  it — "many  of  the  priests  became  obedient  to 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  297 

the  faith,"  but  the  body  at  large  never  changed  their 
standing;  and  those  priests  finally  had  to  join  the  new 
interest,  instead  of  wasting  their  time  in  attempting 
to  reform  the  old;  and  indeed,  the  modern  religious 
bodies  will  not  tolerate  much  of  an  effort  for  their  re- 
form— it  is  about  all  they  can  do  to  tolerate  a  belief 
in  these  sentiments,  without  allowing  them  to  become 
aggressive;  so  our  existence  as  a  body  is  necessary  to 
an  aggressive  spread  of  the  great  message  which  has 
made  us  a  prophetic  people.  Yes,  there  is  a  cause  why 
we  exist,  and  why  we  should  continue  to  do  our  specific 
work,  and  do  it  earnestly,  for  it  will  soon  be  finished. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


CONDENSED  TABLE  OF  BIBLE  CHRONOLOGY. 
(From  manuscript  in  Eld.  Shelbon's  Bible.) 


EVENTS. 

INTERVALS. 

YEAR  A.  M. 

YEAR   B.C. 

Creation 

4093 

Flood 

1656 

1656 

2437 

In  Ark 

1 

1657 

2436 

Terah's  death 

427 

2084 

2009 

Abram  migrates 

1 

2085 

2008 

Covenant  of  circ'n 

24 

2109 

1984 

Exodus 

430 

2539 

1554 

Temple  f 'nd'd  (full) 

579 

3118 

975 

Rem'd'r  Solomon  ^ 

and  kings,  to  Je-  |- 

417 

3535 

558 

hoiachin,  3mo.       ) 

Captivity- 

70 

3605 

488 

Cyrus'  1st  year 

1 

3606 

487 

The  69  Weeks 

483 

4089 

4 

To  A.  D.  Era 

4 

4093 

Era  Begins 

Messiah's  Birth  in  August,  B.  C.  4. 

Messiah's  Baptism  in  February,  A.  D.  28,  when  30  and  a  fraction  over; 
thus,— 3  y.  4  m.  in  B.  C,  and  27  y.  1  m.  in  A.  D.— 30  y.  5  m.  of  age. 

Six  thousand  years  from  Creation  ends  in  a.  d. 
1908  (apparently  at  the  Vernal  Equinox,  March  21), 
thus: 

298 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  299 

6000— 4093  + 1--1908.  Or,  as  the  creation  year  be- 
gan at  the  Vernal  Equinox,  4093  full  years  from  thence 
reach  to  Vernal  Equinox  in  a.  d.  1;  and  1907  years 
more  (to  bring  the  4093  up  to  6000)  give  V.  E.  1908  a.  d. 

Christ's  birth,  August b.  c.    4. 

Christ's  baptism,  February.    .  .a.  d.  28. 

Crucifixion a.  d.  30 — a.  m.  4121. 

Jerusalem's  Fall a.  d.  70 — a.  m.  4161. 

The  above  is  taken  from  Eld.  Sheldon's  manu- 
script tables  pasted  in  his  Bible.  Now  the  writer  of 
these  pages  is  going  to  state  a  very  remarkable  thing, — 
the  thing  he  finds  in  another  manuscript  table  in  that 
Bible, — but  with  no  remarks  on  the  significancy 
of  it.  These  tables  and  notes  were  intended  for  Elder 
S.'s  own  use,  only;  and  he  would  understand  their 
significance  without   having  it   written  out  there. 

The  writer  thinks  he  does  also.  He  does  not  agree 
with  Eld.  Sheldon  (at  least  as  yet)  as  to  the  year  of 
creation,  and  consequently  the  end  of  the  6,000  years; 
but,  while  having  fixed  upon  a  different  year,  he  had 
arrived  at  the  conclusion  that,  almost  certainly,  the 
true  creation  year  would  be  astronomically  marked. 
In  this  way:  when  the  earth  was  started,  at  the  be- 
ginning of  "the  years  of  the  generations  of  Adam,"  it 
would  be  at  an  appropriate  astronomical  starting- 
point.  Such  a  point  has  been  universally  considered 
to  be  an  equinox;  and  there  the  years  of  the  most 
ancient  history  were  begun.  Whether  it  was  the 
spring  or  the  autumn  equinox,  authorities  are  about 
equally  divided.  But  let  that  point  rest,  for  the 
present. 

It  also  seems  almost  certain  that  the  moon,  also, 


300  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

would  then  be  at  her  proper  starting-point;  namely, 
that  it  would  be  new  moon;  that  is  to  say,  the  moon 
would  be  in  conjunction,  or  in  line  with  the  sun. 
And,  thirdly,  it  would  be  on  the  first  day  of  a  week. 
Not  necessarily  that  the  six  days  of  creation  were 
24-hour  da3^s;  but  that,  whatever  they  were,  it  would 
be  so  arranged  that  six  24-hour  days  back  from  the 
end  of  the  sixth  creation  day  would  measure  back 
to  the  beginning  of  a  Sunday,  on  which  it  was  both 
new  moon  and  an  equinox.  "As  for  God,  his  way 
is  perfect"  (2  Sam.  22:31;    Psa.  18:30). 

Therefore,  when  I  saw  Eld.  Sheldon's  creation-year 
marked  as  having  "V.  E.",  that  is,  vernal  (or  spring) 
equinox;  and  "N.  M.",  that  is,  new  moon;  both  on 
"Apr.  23,"  I  understood  its  significance. 

And  more.  His  Exodus  year,  a.  m.  2539;  and  his 
Crucifixion  year,  a.  m.  4121,  are  also  marked  as  hav- 
ing the  new  moon  and  the  spring  equinox  upon  the 
same  days;  namely,  Apr.  4,  and  Mar.  23,  respectively. 

I  have  "assayed"  to  test  the  correctness  of  the 
above;  but  not  being  familiar  with  "Saul's  armour" — 
or  Eld.  Sheldon's  books — I  cannot  detect  any  error, 
yet,  in  the  above  astronomical  statements.  From 
the  data  at  hand,  they  seem  to  be  possibly  correct: 
so  we  think  it  duty  to  give  them  here,  that  they  may 
be  examined  and  tested  more  thoroughly  by  others. 

As  to  the  period  of  6,000  years,  Mr.  Shimeall,  in 
"Our  Bible  Chronology,"  has  said:  "It  is  fundamental 
to  a  correct  understanding  of  the  subject," — of  the 
claims  of  the  Hebrew  and  Septuagint  chronologies, — 
"that  we  show,  by  scripture,  that  all  God's  purposes 
relatively  to  the  world  and  the  church,  as  connected 
with  the  developments  ...  of  the  great  plan  and 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  301 

work  of  human  Redemption,  were,  in  the  purposes 
of  God,  to  be  limited  to  the  precise  period  of  6,000  ijears. 
.  .  .  The  predicted  events  which  follow  those  that 
terminate  'the  times  of  the  Gentiles,'  at  the  end  of 
the  6,000th  year  from  the  creation  and  fall,  relate, 
for  the  most  part,  to  those  which  fill  up  a  short  un- 
CHROXOLOGICAL  interval  that  is  to  elapse — a  season 
of  unparalleled  tribulation,  for  which  see  Dan.  12:1; 
Mark  13:19,  20;  and  Luke  21:25,  28— between  the 
close  of  the  6,000th  year,  and  the  final  establishment 
of  the  [universal]  reign  of  Christ  during  the  seventh 
thousand  years  of  Sabbatic  rest."  (p.  80.)  Mr. 
Shimeall  proceeds  to  quote  from  the  Jews  before 
Christ,  and  the  early  Christian  fathers,  etc.,  showing 
their  understanding  of  the  Scriptures  on  this  subject; 
and  that  though  the  Scriptures  do  not  give  direct 
testimony  to  this,  yet  they  do  give  typical  and  veiled 
testimony  which  is  sufficiently  conclusive. 

In  fact,  the  times  and  seasons  of  the  second  Advent 
were  designedly  veiled  in  obscurity  at  first,  and  were 
to  be  so — "closed  up  and  sealed  till  the  time  of  the 
end;"  and  even  then,  "none  of  the  wicked  shall  under- 
stand; but  the  wise  shall  understand:"  not  by  a 
light  blazing  forth  all  at  once,  but  "knowledge  shall 
be  increased,"  gradually.  That  is,  to  those  who 
have  ears  to  hear,  "the  wise,"  or  instructed.  Dan. 
12:10— A.  A. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

CLOSING    WORDS. 


In  closing  this  volume  we  are  especially  impressed 
to  address  a  few  words  to  our  young  people,  on 
whom  will  soon  fall  the  responsibility  of  keeping  the 
gospel  banner  of  last  day  truth  afloat. 

The  pioneers  of  our  cause  are  nearly  all  dead.  To 
those  still  living  who  will  read  this  narrative,  memo- 
ries of  by-gone  years  will  be  revived  by  its  perusal, 
and  possibly  a  longing  for  "the  good  old  times"  of 
youthful  vigor  may  come  to  their  hearts.  Our 
heart  goes  out  in  deepest  love  to  all  the  veterans  of 
our  God-given  cause,  and  if  any  such  be  helped  or 
blessed  in  any  small  degree  by  this  narrative,  the 
Lord  will  have  the  praise. 

Our  middle-aged  have  a  work  still  before  them, 
and  we  shall  be  glad  if  by  perusing  this  volume  they 
receive  a  lesson  of  loyalty,  steadfastness,  and  a  deep- 
ened love  for  the  prophetic  and  other  present  day 
truths,  which  Providence  to-day  entrusts  to  their 
care.  Give  the  trumpet  no  uncertain  sound,  but 
faithfully  and  earnestly  continue  to  help  warn  the 
people  of  their  nearness  to  earth's  final  doom. 

Dear  young  readers :  much  of  this  book  was  written 
with  you  in  mind,  especially  to  benefit  you.  Shall 
not  its  lessons  by  example,  in  devotedness,  diligence, 

302 


LIFE  OF  SHELDON.  303 

and  perseverance  in  furthering  our  precious  truths 
(though  more  unpopular  then  than  now),  help  you  to 
follow  in  the  -same  pathway?  Young  ministers! 
young  brethren!  young  sisters!  how  we  pray  that 
you  may  so  study  and  know  the  Word  of  God  that 
its  light  may  shine  out  brightly  in  your  daily  life, 
and  so  fill  and  thrill  you,  that  you  will  be,  in  the 
future  days  of  time  left  to  us,  zealous,  earnest,  fear- 
less advocates  of  the  distinctive  truths  held  so  dear 
by  our  forefathers,  and  which  are  now  being  left  to 
our  care  for  promulgation. 

Do  they  mean  anything  to  you?  Is  there  any- 
thing in  them  that  appeals  to  you,  inviting,  urging, 
demanding,  your  best  energies,  talents,  time,  money, 
influence?  May  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God  so  rest 
upon  you,  dear  young  people,  that  it  may  show  you 
what  these  truths  mean  to  you  and  to  the  world,  and 
help  you  to  realize  your  responsibilities  to  your  God, 
yourself,  and  to  those  around  you;  thus  fitting  you 
to  perform  the  coming  duties  in  a  manner  that  will 
assure  this  people  that  our  precious  cause  will  not 
be  allowed  to  suffer  in  your  hands,  but  will  still  be 
advanced  and  extended. 

Oh,  that  the  lessons  of  the  life  and  labors  of  William 
Sheldon  might  be  so  impressed  upon  your  minds  as 
to  lead  you  all  out  into  the  Lord's  service,  in  just 
the  manner  and  place  the  Lord  would  have  you! 
Then  should  his  life  still  be  fruitful  of  good. 

Young  people,  in  William  Sheldon  you  had  one 
of  your  best  friends.  When,  in  1891,  at  Savannah, 
111.,  the  denominational  young  peoples'  work  for 
Adventists  was  organized — the  Society  of  Loyal 
Workers — he  was  the  first  to  advocate  its  formation. 


304  LIFE  OF  SHELDON. 

the  first  to  encourage.  He  always  looked  on  you 
with  a  heartfelt  interest  and  watch-care,  which  never 
abated,  but  deepened  while  life  was  his.  Your  prog- 
ress was  a  cause  of  rejoicing  to  him.  When  others 
were  fearful  he  did  nothing  but  encourage.  In  his 
death  you  lost  a  personal  friend  and  brother.  May 
the  record  of  his  life  be  an  inspiration  to  each  of  you, 
leading  you  to  be  Loyal  Workers  in  the  fullest 
sense  of  these  words.  Loyal  Workers:  love,  cherish, 
respect,  and  lighten  the  hearts  and  burdens  of  all  the 
veterans  of  our  cause,  who  are  still  spared  to  us. 
May  this  be  to  you  a  pleasure.  They  have  borne 
what  you  and  I  know  little  or  nothing  of :  honor  them 
for   it,    with   all   sincerity. 

To  our  readers,  one  and  all.  May  the  Lord's  bless- 
ing attend  this  simple  narrative,  written  under  cir- 
cumstances of  a  discouraging  and  even  trying  nature; 
but  may  the  Lord  over-rule  all  to  the  everlasting 
good  of  our  readers. 

"And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  bright- 
ness of  the  firmament;  and  they  that  turn  many 
to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 
Dan.   12:3. 


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THE  LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF  WILLIAM  SHELDON 


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